When most baby’s are struggling to say their first word or learning how to walk Donques Young was on a different agenda. Donques was struggling to stay alive. Donques was born with cancer. Over 50% of his back was covered by the deadly disease. He would require multiple surgeries on his back just to survive and the chances of him living a normal life were slim to none. His first surgery was conducted when he was just one-and-a-half years old. After that, He had to endure NINE more. All before he turned six years old. Yes, that makes TEN surgeries total! Each and every surgery involved a very painfull recovery and rehabilitation. Needless to say that these were trying times for a child who should have been concerned with tying his shoes, not rehabing from his 10th operation.
Donques toughed it out and the cancer was completely removed, but there was still another problem. The scarring on his back was so severe that doctors had to insert 4 balloons under his skin and scars in hopes to stretch his skin so that he would be able to have some mobility. Doctor’s told his parents that any type of athletic activity would be impossible and sports were out of the question. His father, Don Young, a boyhood friend of Master Lloyd Irvin was intent on not letting Donques’ situation hold him down. So when Little Don said he wanted to play sports, the question wasn’t “will he play”, it was how he was going to play. And Play he did. Since his 10 surgeries, Donques is not only playing basketball and football, but he has become a star. Last year he ran for 4 touchdowns in one game! He has also become one of Team Lloyd Irvin’s most exciting new grapplers. Because Donques, lives in Fredericksburg VA, he is only able to attend LIMAA during the summers for camp and has used this time to become an accomplished grappler with 4 grappling gold medals to put on his mantle, already filled with plenty of football and basketball trophies.
He is an inspiration to everyone in the academy and is living proof that adversity can be overcome with determination, family support, enthusiasm and most importantly a positive attitude. Look for Donques at upcoming tournaments. He will be the kid with the Biggest Smile in the place. Wouldn’t you be smiling?
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