More than 10 years ago, a young Indonesian boy named Martunis lost his mother and two siblings in a devastating Indian Ocean tsunami. The Dec. 26, 2004, earthquake that triggered the tsunami killed roughly 230,000 people in 14 countries.
Somehow, the 7-year-old Martunis survived by himself on an island for three weeks before being found by a news camera crew. He was wearing a jersey that represented the Portuguese national soccer team.
Martunis later reunited with his father, and he said the dream of becoming a professional soccer helped keep him alive.
“I was not afraid at all because I wanted to be alive to meet my family and become a football player,” Martunis explained, via Coconuts Jakarta.
When his story began resonating across the globe, Martunis was invited to visit with the Portuguese national team. His favorite player, Cristiano Ronaldo, visited Martunis in 2005 and promised to pay for his education.
Tsunami survivor Martunis signs for @SportingCP_en http://t.co/sb4OFmgtJo #SCP pic.twitter.com/tUrluGOJTh
— Goal India (@Goal_India) July 2, 2015
That was only the beginning.
In 2008, Martunis’ father Sarbini said he would be “very proud” if his son became a professional football player but that he wanted him to continue with his education.
“I let him play football in the afternoon,” Sarbini explained, according to The Daily Mail. “I ask him to go to school, learn to read the Koran and attend an English course. I want him to be a clever boy with a bright future. I don’t want him to end up like me who did not have a proper education. I hope he gets a good job in the future.
“I will be very proud if he enjoys a good life or becomes a professional footballer.”
On July 2, Martunis fulfilled a lifelong dream when he signed a contract with Sporting Lisbon’s U-19 soccer team. We can only imagine how proud his father must be.
Photo via Sporting Lisbon/Twitter
