World-Renowned NBA Player Heads To Malta For Migrant Search And Rescue Mission

Marc Gasol Sáez, an NBA player who plays with the Memphis Grizzlies, came to Malta to help in the search and rescue missions that are currently undergoing in our seas. Putting his MVP status aside, the Spanish professional put his MVP status aside for a great humanitarian cause in the Mediterranean.

“If you want to be able to tell a story to other people and to bring more awareness to an issue, you have to go through it,” he said. “I am nervous, I’m anxious because of the not knowing.’’

Marc flew here to help out the migrants who are currently stranded in the open sea. ESPN reported that he wanted to see for himself, help and understand their situation. The philanthropist came to Malta on the 15th of July by jet and has been following the work of Proactiva Open Arms for over a year.

He’s been trying his utmost to help the immigrants and the NGOs in their mission. “It’s something that I truly believe in and something that I really feel,” Gasol said.

ESPN reported that Gasol’s worst fear was to see death, particularly that of young children floating in the open waters.

Gasol even took it as his responsibility to get to know the NGO members better and spoke to them about the current crisis faced by immigrants. He made his best effort to meet up with people who are currently living through hell, trying to achieve a better life than the one they have left behind.

He spoke to a captain who helps out the NGOs who told him “If in Malta or Italy you say you want to help the NGOs, they throw rocks at you,” he told ESPN.

Proactiva rescuers told the NBA player that chances of survival drop to nearly zero after one day in open waters, this is due to the fact that no food or freshwater is available for the migrants.

Before leaving the boat, Gasol told ESPN that he would stay if it weren’t for his family in Barcelona.

“To be part of this team is not a jersey that you put on,” he said. “It’s deeper than that, and you connect, you’re so vulnerable out there. Your feelings, emotions, where you’re at. Everything is so real and pure, they have each other’s back.”

He saved one person on his mission, and felt sheepish about not being able to do more for this cause. “I’ve been here, on what, one mission? Saved one person,” he reflected. “They’ve done 47 missions and saved over 60,000 people.”

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