"If you set out to write a fictional story about the long wondrous jounrey of a young boy who traveled from a war-torn region of Africa to the basketball courts of America, and all the way to Hollywood, you would be hard-pressed to imagine a story like that ever coming true. Yet Blondy baruti's journey is all true.. an almost unfathomable tale that brought him from a life-threatening ordeal in the congo, all the way to movie sets and Hollywood premieres. This is a rich heartfelt story that teaches us all that the most impossible dreams sometimes do come true."
—Bob Iger, CEO, The Walt Disney Company
"To meet Blondy Baruti is to fall in love with him, instantly. Yes, his smile and personality light up a room-- but his story, his incredible story of survival and hope, that will stick with you forever."
—Dan Fogelman, creator of the hit show, THIS IS US
“An inspiring true story about the power of hope, optimism, and grit in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.”
—KIRKUS
What shines through here is Baruti’s good heart, persistence, and absolute unwillingness to give up on his dreams despite repeated setbacks. His remarkable journey and his courage are inspiring and aspirational.
—BOOKLIST
Description
The inspirational and true rags-to-riches story of how one young boy made it from the war-torn Congolese jungles to America and onto the silver screen, all the while facing extraordinary trials and twists of fate with an unwavering faith and unflagging spirit.
Blondy Baruti’s boyhood in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was shaped by a desperate ordeal to survive. After marauding soldiers invaded his village, he, his mom, and his sister fled to the jungle and trekked countless miles to escape the atrocities and violence—only to encounter more unspeakable horrors at every turn. Their odyssey ended some sixteen months later when they finally reached safety—but Blondy’s journey had only just begun.
In an amazing true story that seems more like fiction, we see Blondy overcome incredible odds—poverty, fever, hunger, betrayal—in pursuit of daring dreams that take him from his fight for survival in the Congolese jungle to a dazzling turn on an A-list red carpet after earning a role in the Marvel blockbuster, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. In between are some incredible twists and turns: basketball dreams nurtured and squashed; a crooked cousin who breaks the inviolable bonds of family; and beneficent strangers who change everything.
A powerful and timely tale of triumph over adversity, The Incredible True Story of Blondy Baruti will have you rooting for Blondy throughout his tale and leave you inspired on your own path to greatness.