Everyone knows I’m a big Jiu-Jitsu enthusiast. And one of the reasons I appreciate this sport so much is its ability to save lives.
I recently read an article showing the story of Rafael Gomes, a 34-year-old man who was born in Mauá, and currently lives in São Caetano do Sul.
It was through Jiu-Jitsu that he won one of the most difficult battles to be fought: getting rid of the world of drugs. This is a good example of how sport has the ability to change its trajectory.
The way of drugs
Rafael, as well as many other youths and adults, found in Jiu-Jitsu a weapon to combat chemical dependency. Son of an evangelical pastor, he had a very strong connection with religion during his childhood.
However, when he turned 17, he met some people who influenced him to enter the world of drugs. It all started with alcohol.
He started drinking socially until he got to know cocaine. In the interview with the São Caetano Digital portal, he mentions that at first it was something casual, but then he started to use the drug continuously.
As he was a rather shy young man, drugs made him even more withdrawn and introverted, making him even more distant from his parents and sisters.
The change in your life
Rafael dove to rock bottom, and it was in 2014 that his life started to change. He got to know a therapeutic community, in Bauru-SP, and was hospitalized for seven months.
Then he found out about a church rehabilitation project in Ribeirão Pires, and that was his first contact with Jiu-Jitsu. However, it was only in March 2020 that he started fighting at the invitation of the pastor of the church he attended.
Since he started in the sport, Rafael still had some relapses, but it was Jiu-Jitsu that held him back at that moment. His wife says that he often spent the day in depression, but at training time, he always got ready to go.
He stated in the article that Jiu-Jitsu saved his life on a daily basis. He even won his first medal in a competition in July.
Inspiration for others
Rafael’s story is one of those stories that inspire us, and that shows how Jiu-Jitsu, like any other sport, can save lives.
Especially because when we practice a sport, we want to have a healthier life, we value discipline more, and we try to be better every day.
I’m sure many athletes identify with Rafael. And that thanks to sport, today they are looking for a better and more productive life.
It’s because of stories like this that I invest in sport, and I believe it can be the gateway to transforming the world into a much better place. Do you agree?
