They say shoot for the moon but aim for the stars, and for college basketball player Hansel Enmanuel, that describes his entire life story. The 21-year-old has been playing basketball since early childhood, following after his father’s footsteps. But now, he’s paving his own way on his own terms.
The journey for Enmanuel hasn’t been an easy one. At just age six, he lost his left arm in a tragic accident. Enmanuel found himself trapped under a concrete wall for hours after it collapsed on him while he was playing, according to ESPN. After being rushed to the emergency room, there was simply too much damage, forcing doctors to amputate his arm just below the shoulder. “I really appreciate God to give me that life lesson in that moment because my whole mind, my whole body, everything changed since the moment that it happened, Enmanuel told WSMV.”
In total, he spent six months recovering in the hospital, according to Sporting News. Soon after his release was when he picked up the sport that would change his life forever. “I don’t go back. I go day by day and take care of what I’ve got to take care of,” Enmanuel said.
Born and raised by his grandmother in the Dominican Republic, Enmanuel came to the states to further pursue his basketball dreams at a Christian prep school in Florida, according to PEOPLE. The 6 foot 6 guard began making waves after going viral on social media for his impressive dunks and dribbling skills in 2021. From there, the ball just kept on rolling!
Fresh out of high school, Enmanuel committed to Northwestern State University, and after a year, he transferred to Austin Peay for more playing time, according to Sporting News. “I think he understands that the torch he carries is a very heavy one, and it burns hot,” said Austin Peay senior guard Isaac Haney, who’s known Enmanuel since their shared time at Northwestern. “He pushes through every single day because he knows people are looking at him. I’m always amazed at how he…
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