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The homeless boy who captured the heart of a nation after securing the New York state chess champion title despite his distressing circumstances, now has a home with his family.
—#BlackBoyJoy: 8-year-old homeless, Nigerian refugee wins New York chess championship—
“I have a home! I have a home!” 8-year-old Tanitoluwa Adewumi, yelled out before jumping on his dad’s back, The New York Times reports.
The family was living in a homeless shelter in New York when he won the state’s chess championship for his age bracket. Tani, as he’s called by friends, and his family fled northern Nigeria in 2017, reportedly fearing attacks by Boko Haram terrorists. When they immigrated to New York City a local pastor connected them with a homeless shelter.
But now, thanks to the New York Times story going viral, Tani’s family is now calling a two-bedroom apartment home thanks to a generous donor who paid a year’s rent in advance.
“I think I am still dreaming,” said Tani’s dad, Kayode Adewumi told the NY Times. “I hope I don’t wake up.”
ICYMI, my Sunday column about our homeless chess champ. The story gets better: He now has a home thanks to readers, and his mom and dad are using the $200k raised to help other immigrants in the position they were in a week ago. #inspiration https://t.co/jSFynssHW3
— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) March 25, 2019
A GoFundMe campaign has also raised more than $200,000 for the Adewumi family.
Tani has also reportedly also received scholarship offers from three elite schools although his mother has told reporters that he will stay at his current school who supported him by waving his chess club fees.
Tani’s family also was offered pro bono assistance from immigration lawyers to help them with their asylum efforts
—Police officer gives homeless man a dog poop sandwich and gets job back after suspension—
As for the $200,000 GoFundMe money, the Adewumis decided to tithe 10 percent to the church that helped them while they homeless and the rest will go to a new Tanitoluwa Adewumi Foundation which will help other African immigrants facing immigration issues.
The proud father was working as a Uber driver with a rented car but someone has offered a free car so he can more money for the family. Tani’s mom received a job offer as a health care aide at a hospital.
And for those who want to know more about the Adewumi family, you may soon to see their story in theaters as they are reportedly fielding offers from film companies wanting to tell Tani’s triumphant story.
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