There are beautiful stories that are born from tragedy. The life and career of Dunia Sibomana is living proof of this. Born in the north of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the African wrestling champion in the 57 kg category lost his mother at the age of one. He grew up without a father and lived in a mud house, sleeping on the bare ground.

One day, the young boy had the bad idea of entering Virunga National Park.

"They attacked me and killed my cousin and my brother."

He ventures into dangerous areas of the protected area that he thought he knew well.

The chimpanzees attack him and nearly kill him.

“Chimpanzees appeared and attacked me. I was terrified. I didn’t have time to react; they attacked me and killed my cousin and my brother. I tried to hit one and it bit me on the finger.”

"When you are attacked by a wild animal, you have little chance of survival. When I woke up in the hospital, I was surprised to still be alive," Dunia said.

He unfortunately did not escape unscathed from this attack. The great apes inflicted serious injuries to his face, lips, and right ear. Some facial muscles were destroyed, and the middle finger of his left hand was severed. He owes his life to a park ranger who found him lying on the ground, completely unconscious.

Tissue and muscle grafts were used to recreate her destroyed lips and features.

A few years later, Dunia flew to the United States with the help of an organization that supports children from poor countries who need complex surgical procedures. When he arrived in the US, his face was disfigured.

To date, Dunia has undergone 14 surgical operations intended to reconstruct her face. Tissue and muscle grafts have been performed to recreate her destroyed lips and features.

In the United States, the young Congolese man's host families provided him with all the necessary support. He was adopted by one of them, the Rodriguezes, and obtained permanent residency in the country.

He discovered wrestling thanks to Miguel Rodriguez, his adoptive father. Rodriguez was the assistant coach of the Long Beach wrestling team. Dunia fell in love with the sport and excelled at it. He won several New York State Division 1 tournaments.

A final won in 51 seconds

At the age of 18, the young man from northern DRC answered his country's call. He traveled to Cairo last April to compete in the African Wrestling Cup, a competition he dominated.

In the final of his category, 57 kg, he made short work of his opponent, Cameroonian Nforsong. Fight time: 51 seconds.

The young champion's next challenge is qualifying for the Los Angeles Olympics. There's no doubt he'll rise to the occasion, having become as strong as the chimpanzees of Virunga National Park.