2020 hindsight. Would he still travel? Would she still support him?
Every young man has a moment in his life where he recognizes himself as capable and skilled. A young son riding a bike without training wheels invariably calls out to his mother to see him riding without hands. The young boy who captures a living creature in the yard, whether turtle toad frog or insect, and brings it home to display his prize catch.
The transition to adulthood from adolescence is a series of accomplishments followed by some form of parental acknowledgement. That is how young men and women grow and transform into gentlemen and ladies.
A family’s journey
Stepping foot onto an NBA basketball court was a journey undertaken by the entire Embiid family. A journey of over 900 days, two surgeries, two extended stays at a rehabilitation facility, and so much more. The young man who boarded the plane aimed at the USA and his dream to play basketball had no idea what it would entail.
Had he known, he may have elected a differing sport. Certainly his mother, who had to hug and say farewell to her son, would have added more words of love, encouragement, and wisdom to her farewell. But hindsight is always 20-20 vision. He followed his dream. She followed her son from a distance. In the end, they arrived at the Wells Fargo Center on November 29, 2017. He in his Philadelphia 76ers jersey, she sitting in the stands cheering him on.