Sad news today as former Sixer and great humanitarian Manute Bol has died at the young age of 47. He had been battling kidney failure and skin disease.
Bol contracted the deadly skin disease while helping out in his native Sudan. Bol had built hospitals, set up numerous charities, and even helped to broker piece between warring Sudanese tribes. I'd recommend reading this piece in the Kansas City Star which details Bol's humanitarian efforts, how he contracted the disease, and his story as he tried to fight it.
The 7'7 center gained fame with his NBA career, but his true legacy will be his humanitarian work. Most of the money he earned in his NBA career has been spent trying to make life better and safer in Sudan. In a sad irony, it was the terrible conditions in the country that ended up claiming his life.
↵You can donate to his charity "Alliance for the Lost Boys" in his memory.
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