Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward kisses his mother, Kim Young-hee, upon arriving in South Korea for his first visit since leaving as an infant.
Posted on 04/04/2006 11:14:50 AM PDT by martin_fierro
'A hero's return'
S. Korea welcomes back native son Hines Ward
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- Half-Korean Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward reached out Tuesday to a country that has suddenly embraced him as a hero, expressing pride in his Korean roots although he shunned that side of his heritage after facing prejudice as a child.
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Ward was having lunch later Tuesday with President Roh Moo-hyun. During his 10-day trip, he will also be granted honorary citizenship by the city of Seoul and be greeted at a reception hosted by the U.S. Embassy.
He will also meet with children of mixed backgrounds, and said he has plans to work with a foundation that supports them and also set up an organization of his own here.
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In a nod sure to be appreciated here, Ward also praised Korean food -- saying he had eaten galbi, or barbecued rib meat, along with kimchi...
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His mother, Kim Young-hee, was initially ruled unfit to keep her son but he ran away to live with her in second grade. She worked three jobs to support him, a story that has drawn sympathy from hard-working Koreans.
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"I had to overcome a lot being teased a lot by American kids about my being 50 percent Korean, being 50 percent African-American," he said.
Ward said his mother taught him that race wasn't important _ even though she typically had wanted him to marry a Korean woman. He called for understanding among people of all backgrounds when asked what he would tell Korean parents whose children want to marry foreigners.
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(Excerpt) Read more at sportsillustrated.cnn.com ...
Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward kisses his mother, Kim Young-hee, upon arriving in South Korea for his first visit since leaving as an infant.
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that is so sweet!!!!
I always thought he was part chipmunk.
Have I mentioned that Hines Ward is my son?
OK not really, but it'd be nice.
yes i recall some trumped up attempt at establishing parentage on your part!
What a nice story for Hines, the man with the brightest smile in football.
Though I live in Pittsburgh, I'm not a Steelers fan. But I think Hines Ward is a real class act. I love it when he scores a TD and gives the ball to a kid in the stands. I believe he is a genuine nice guy. The NFL could use a lot more Hines Ward's.
Hines Ward has a wonderful Mom............... that is why Hines Ward is a very GOOD MAN.
Thanks for the pingeroo, m_f.
"The NFL could use a lot more Hines Wards." ----- truer words ....... were never said!
******
Now .... we gotta work on you being a Stiller fan!
;-)
He will have to past the test..
He's a good guy, for a Georgia Bulldog. :)
bttt.
I love to see him smile - the man smiles on the field like he is really having a great time just being there.
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