On December 26, 2004, a massive earthquake rocked the Indian Ocean. The resulting tsunami wiped out towns and homes and changed the lives of hundred thousands. Martunis was one of those victims.
The tsunami struck his hometown of Banda Aceh, Indonesia. His mother and two siblings died that day.
Somehow, the seven-year-old boy survived alone on a beach for 21 days.
When he was found, the little boy was wearing a soccer jersey for the Portuguese national team.
When asked how he’d survived all that time on his own, the boy said that his dream was to become a soccer player — it motivated him to keep fighting.
It wasn’t long before the Portuguese people got wind of Martunis’ story. In 2005, the country’s soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo visited Martunis.
He vowed to pay for Martunis’ education and one day, the boy could even come visit the soccer team’s stadium.
Learn more about Martunis in this short video:
What’s more, just last year, the Portuguese national team signed Martunis on as a player for their under-19 league.
What an incredible story. Even with all the terrible things that happened to Martunis, he kept pushing to achieve his dreams. Hopefully someday soon, he’ll play on the very team that changed his life so many years ago.
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