The Epitome of the American Dream

The Olympic Games have come and gone, providing some of the greatest stories we have seen in one single event in a long time. Beijing was the host to some incredible spectacles that will be cemented in history as some of the best the world has ever witnessed.

In these games we have seen everything from the amazing to the bizarre. Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt were the individual stars of these games, preforming feats that had never been accomplished before and previously thought to be impossible, leaving competitors and world records in their wake. While many athletes like Phelps and Bolt fulfilled and exceeded expectations, many others only disappointed. There were tails of rising from tragedy and falling from grace. And like all Olympics, there was controversy aplenty; in the opening ceremony, on the medal stand, in the gym, and, of course, in the testing rooms.

There is, however, one story that has not received the proper attention. It includes all the proper ingredients to make for a great story and has the potential to have all of America talking. This is a tale of a young American man rising from poverty to surpass expectations to achieve the highest honor in his sport, an Olympic gold medal. But beyond the surface, this story also carries with it a touchy subject in American politics. And, above all, this story has the potential to carry the hopes and dreams of an entire people within and beyond the American borders.

This is the story of Henry Cejudo, Olympic gold medal wrestler.

On the surface, Henry's achievement is amazing enough. On August 19, Henry won the Gold Medal in the 55kg freestyle wrestling competition. And at 21, he is the youngest Olympic freestyle wrestling champion in American history. And while this is impressive enough, how he got there is even more amazing.

Born in Los Angeles, Henry is the son of poor illegal immigrants from Mexico. His mother - Nelly Rico - left her husband and moved her family all over the South West, perhaps to find a better situation, perhaps just to escape. She worked multiple jobs in order to provide for her 6 children, but often they only had enough just to get by. The family was often cramped together in small living spaces, sometimes sharing the space with other families, and all 6 children slept in the same bed together.

Henry and his older brother, Angel, got into wrestling and when they reached their teens they were good enough to be invited by USA Wrestling to attend a freestyle wrestling program. The brothers were set up in a room at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, and it was the first time that either of the two brothers got to sleep in their own bed. Henry's skill shined through and he was able to surpass his brother and make it to the Olympics. His victory in Beijing is a testament to the hard work and sacrifice that he and his entire family put in through the years despite the surroundings. But Henry's victory is not unique; there are countless stories of children of immigrant parents reaching unimaginable heights, proving that the American Dream is available to all.

One of the most hot-button issues of American politics is immigration, and immigrants from Mexico and other Latin American countries are the most visible in this debate. But despite where anyone may fall on this issue, there is no denying that the United States is a land of opportunity where immigrants can dream of something more. People of all nationalities flock to the US for better opportunities for themselves and for their families. America is where someone can rise from nothing to the height of success, where all of ones dreams and aspirations can be realized. Henry is the epitome of what immigrant parents wish for their children: a better life.

Despite his sports’ relative anonymity, Henry's victory is not just another notch for the USA in the overall medal count in these Beijing games; his victory is not even purely American. Rather, Henry's win is a signal of perpetual hope for immigrants everywhere. Perhaps Henry would have found wrestling if he were born and raised in Mexico like his parents, but there is little doubt to the fact that without the advantages and opportunities presented to him and his family here in the United States, he would not be wearing a gold medal around his neck. And for Henry's mother, she could hardly have imagined that her son would not just reach success in America at such a young age, but at the same time be crowned the best in the world.

Michael Phelps will undoubtedly receive the majority of America's attention in the aftermath of the Olympics, but Henry Cejudo should not be forgotten. His story should be told with the same vigor that Phelps's will be recited. While Phelps might inspire a new generation of swimmers, Henry Cejudo can inspire a whole generation of people.

He is the epitome of the American Dream.