Imagine finding yourself caught in the middle of the world's most deadly outbreak of the Ebola virus, unable to escape back to friends, family and loved ones at home.
For 10 days earlier this summer, this was the situation that former Dallas Sidekicks professional and Donami Sport founder Doc Lawson found himself in. Lawson's nonprofit, Donami, is dedicated to help rebuild the West African nation of Liberia by providing the country's youth with access to affordable organized sports and recreation activities, in the process shaping a next generation of leaders.
Lawson played professional soccer through the 1980s with the Dallas Sidekicks (dissolved in 2004 and then reformed as a PASL expansion team in 2012). Before this, when he was 10 years old, his family emigrated to the United States - seeking refuge from the conflict that tore apart Liberia for decades. It was only when Lawson was in his 50s that he was able to return to Liberia. An initial trip turned into a long-term humanitarian mission, as Lawson began hosting youth soccer camps in partnership with the YMCA and eventually established Donami Sport to organize and grow the effort. In 5 short years, Donami has made aggressive moves to grow its impact with youth in Liberia - parting with organizations like One World Futbol (which The18 has written about in the past) - and establishing the ambitious mission of delivering affordable access to organized sport to 2.5 million youths in Liberia by 2030.
It was on a recent visit to run one of his camps that Lawson found himself caught in the middle of the widely-covered Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Liberia in particular has been hit hard by the outbreak, which can kill up to 90% of those who contract the disease. According to Reuters, Liberia recorded the most new deaths with 53 between August 14 and 16 alone, followed by Sierra Leone with 17 and Guinea with 14.
Lawson was in the country when the first case of the Ebola virus was confirmed and found himself stranded as the government declared a state of emergency and began restricting travel:
“I am now stuck in the middle of an international help crisis, " Lawsaon said in an interview with WFAA News 8. "All I’m thinking is, 'Will I be able to get out, to get back to the States?'"
Lawson remianed in limbo for 10 days, stuck in his camp, as he watched the government close borders, quarantine patients suspected of carrying the disease and struggle to keep up with the demand for medical care. “When the military came out to control all the movement for this one day, then it fizzled into a second day, I knew this was absolutely real, and this is serious stuff,” he said.
Lawson did eventually make it out of the country on a flight to Europe and then home, but only after passing nearly 10 different health screenings.
While most of us would simply consider ourselves lucky to have made it out safely, Lawson is now focused on how soon he can get back and what he can do in the meantime to help those he left behind.
“I am working to be prepared to go back once everything is done, because the traumatic effect on the children and on the society is going to be enormous."
Check out his recent video interview below and visit donamisport.org to find out more about how you can support Lawson's efforts.
