NBA Star Ronny Turiaf Visits HCC Youth Home

NBA Sar Ronny Turiaf Earlier this year, HCC Signature Students had a surprise visit from retired NBA star Ronny Turiaf. Ronny spent a couple of days with HCC students in Kathmandu, sharing stories, playing basketball, singing, dancing, and building friendships. Ronny inspired everyone with his life story, positive attitude, and kind spirit. The HCC students were excited to meet Ronny and learn from his life lessons.

HCC NBA Basketball Player Born and raised in Martinique, Ronny moved to Paris at 15 to pursue his basketball career and attend the National Institute of Physical Education (INSEP). Upon graduation from Gonzaga University, he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. Soon after, however, he was faced with a potentially life-threatening heart condition and had open heart surgery. Eager to get back on the court, less than 6 months after his operation, Ronny re-signed with the Lakers – a testament to his incredible courage and will. During his professional basketball career, Ronny played with the Lakers, the Miami Heat, the LA Clippers, the Golden State Warriors, the New York Knicks, the Washington Wizards, and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Ronny’s experience led him to found The Heart to Heart Foundation, which aims to raise support and awareness around heart-related issues. Ronny’s life has been marked with giving back, even winning the NBA Cares Community Assist Award in 2010 for his involvement in local community work. In his retirement, Ronny has continued his work to support those in need, most recently visiting our youth home Khushi Ghar.

NBA Star with Wheelchair Team While sitting with HCC students and sharing his life story, he impressed upon the students that true success is listening to your own heart and working continuously to achieve your dreams. He reminded students that regardless of the roadblocks of life, never lose hope and faith. Ronny exemplifies someone that leveraged the hardships in his life to shape his determination to give back.

Thank you, Ronny, for your inspiring visit and for an experience none of us at Khushi Ghar will ever forget. We are looking forward to seeing you again in Nepal in the near future.

NBA Star Ronny Turiaf Hug Nepal

Finally the day arrived and we had to arrive at the venue by 3. We rushed to the models and did the final fittings. By that time, Dinesh Uncle, Hira Aunt and Bruce Uncle had arrived. As my sequence was on the 4th we had a huge rush backstage that let me meet them only for a brief minute and we couldn’t even click a picture together. Show started at 7. After the third sequence we had the models change into our designs. Finally, our design was on the runway, and we walked at the end of the sequence with our showstopper, Simpal Kharel. While walking on the runway, there were a huge number of audiences, included; designers, press media, journalists, photographers, ambassadors, etc. After our sequence, we went backstage and we really had a roller coaster of emotions. All those sleepless nights, stresses, no meal days and all the difficulties we went through were finally over. It was worth everything. This concludes my three years of learning and we had the chance to showcase it to the crowd and people. After our sequence we finally had the time to breather. All along these past three months it felt as if somebody had put on something in our neck as we were suffocating but now it felt as if it had been let go. We could breathe in peace.

After the runway we had a huge feast and that tasted like the best meal that I had for the entire life.