Watch Video: Spectrum News
Growing up in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nzirimwo fell in love with the game. Limited access to proper equipment didn't phase him. But at age 7, his soccer career and his life changed forever.
“I was out in the field, playing soccer," he explained. "You know how grenades are shaped like a ball? We thought it was a little ball, so we started playing around with it. We didn’t know t was a grenade or anything. We kept on playing, and it blew up in front of me.”
The result was devastating. Nzirimwo lost his left leg from his knee down. After waking up in the hospital and hearing the news, Nzirimwo realized the extent.
“Waking up without my leg, I mean, I kind of gave up,” he said. It wasn’t for a few more years until Nzirimwo ended up in Kenya, where he was fitted with his first prosthetic leg. Then at age 12, he relocated to the Syracuse area through a refugee program.
Suiting up for the Fowler soccer team is where his love of soccer shined. “I started playing soccer with my prosthetic, and that's when I scored 12 goals in one tournament,” Nzirimwo said.
Full Story: Spectrum News
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