After playing professional soccer in Africa and seeing some close friends die from the AIDS epidemic consuming the continent, Ethan began Grassroots Soccer, an initiative that hosts soccer camps for the African youth to raise awareness of AIDS.
"To put it in a frame of reference, I lived and played soccer in Zimbabwe and witnessed what was happening firsthand with HIV/AIDS, had friends who got sick and died. I didn't know what to do at that time, so I came back to the States and got on Survivor and had a similar experience while I was playing Survivor in Kenya. So I used [the $1 million Survivor: Africa prize] to create Grassroot Soccer," Zohn said.
To help promote the initiative, the 35-year-old began a 550 mile, 100 day journey from Boston to Washington D.C. in which he would dribble a soccer ball from start to finish.
During the trek, Zohn hosts camps and interacts with the local communities to help spread the word.
"I really want to engage everyone in a fun, cool project where they can really feel they have a part in helping fight this horrible disease."
Everything was going swimmingly until Zohn tore his ACL and meniscus last week during a fundraising soccer match.
“Trust me, I’m upset. But I’ll be there every step of the way,” Zohn says. “Well, not every step. I’ll be in a car for part of it.”
His supporters have rallied behind him and are finishing the campaign.
"In Africa, we teach our kids about resilience, community, support and asking others for help. That's what Grassroot Soccer UNITED Dribble 2008 is all about—becoming one with the soccer community," explains Ethan Zohn, in his blog on the Grassroot Soccer UNITED Website. "And while I am certainly proud of making it 55 days and 279 miles, I'll be even more proud knowing and understanding that, when I cross that finish line in Washington D.C., it was our supporters who helped get me there. This is the moment to come together and use the power of soccer in the fight against AIDS."
Defying doctors orders, Zohn continues to dribble a little, but still needs everyone's support.
Join One Tribe Creative in showing your support for this survivor by visiting his site.
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