Lessons From a Father: A Memorial to Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov
A father is something special. In a young man’s life, his father is what molds him into what he should become. He is the icon, the beacon of life and the north star. That was Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. He molded the type of man Khabib should become and instilled those values of God first, family first, and holding true to your word and molded what we saw from Khabib his entire career.
Growing up in Dagestan is not easy. The country is cold, harsh, and unforgiving. It is easy for any man to look at the hand he was dealt and realize that it’s really hard to get out of where he is. But like many from Dagestan, Khabib found his way out through sports. His father was that north star that guided him that way.
Khabib Nurmagomedov called it a career at a perfect 29-0 in case you’ve been living under a rock. He choked out Justin Gaethje and defended his title for a third time. But this time was different. Khabib was without Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, his father. While Khabib fought exactly how he always fights, it wasn’t the same for the son. Enough was enough, Khabib had found out his meaning for life.
Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov and Life’s Lessons
In an interview with Brett Okamoto, Khabib let in Brett on a secret and was explaining that he planned on retiring without saying it outright. Nobody knew. But he told the story of how Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov didn’t tie his identity to being a coach, but wanted to live his life. Listen to this short clip of Khabib below:
Almost two weeks out from the fight. Enjoy being free, 🦅 @TeamKhabib pic.twitter.com/mxQnyYzerx
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) October 24, 2020
As Khabib said, he does not need much to live his happy life. Slaving away at a career where you can sacrifice your body for a paycheck, Khabib has broken the cycle of poverty his ancestors likely have endured living in Dagestan. The vicious cycle is broken.
It is a father’s mission to set his son up for a better life than he had. Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov has done that. He set Khabib up on the highest pedestal and set not only his son, but his grandkids and great-grandkids up for years to come. With the values and morals he instilled in Khabib, with the work ethic given to Khabib by his father, he has accomplished his life’s mission and provided for his family.
The legacy of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov will forever be tied to the legacy of Khabib Nurmagomedov. The father and the son.
You can rest now, Abdulmanap, you have done your job for your family.
