Anthony's Dream

A Boy and His Dream.

Greatness is often created when passion meets talent, but that combination is more illusive than it seems.  After all, many people embody one of these attributes, but it’s rare to find a person who has both natural talent as well as the relentless determination to become the absolute best at what they do.  However, when such an individual comes along, he or she should be given every opportunity to pursue that quest for greatness without limitation.  Anthony Ruja, a 10-year-old boy from Lynnwood, WA, is one of those rare talents.  He is one of the top-ranked martial artists in the nation, but he needs your help to fulfill his dream: to compete against the best in his sport at the upcoming Taekwondo National Championship and World Championship competitions.

Almost four years ago Anthony took his first Taekwondo class.  Although his first lesson was merely a “new activity to try,” it quickly grew into something much more significant.  Within a few months of training, it became clear that Anthony was not your typical student.  He had an uncanny affinity for martial arts, and soon began training six days week.  He quickly worked his way through all the color belts and, most recently, he achieved his second-degree Red-Black belt with honors.  Anthony is the 2014 State Champion and 2015 State and District Champion in all eight Taekwondo events he competed in, and has also earned countless medals, trophies and certificates for his abilities. He’s currently preparing to test for his Black Belt in May.

Anthony has already accomplished a lot at his young age, but his incredible athletic ability was no accident.  Anthony’s parents, who are both originally from Romania, are accomplished athletes themselves.  In fact, Anthony’s mother, Anda, was a world-class rower and a member of the Romanian Olympic Team.  Needless to say, Anthony was blessed with athletic genes (as were his 3-year-old twin brother and sister who he regularly teaches martials arts to)!

Anthony balances an incredibly busy schedule between school, training, and various Taekwondo competitions, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.  The positive impact that Taekwondo has had on Anthony is apparent.  His confidence is visibly improved, and he has learned the value of hard work, perseverance, accountability, and setting and achieving high goals.

One of those high goals is to compete at the Spring Nationals in Las Vegas, NV from March 29 - April 2 and also the World Championships in Little Rock, AR from June 27-30. The cost to complete at both of these events is $6,000, which includes the competition fees and various travel expenses.

Unfortunately these expenses are simply too much for Anthony’s family to bear.  His father, Nick, is currently the sole provider for the family since his mother was laid off after six year of employment with that company.  Both parents have worked extremely hard to save every penny and help get Anthony to where he is today, but they’re not able to provide the financial means for Anthony to take the next step towards reaching the next level of his martial arts pursuits. 

There’s no question that Anthony is talented.  He has the ability and determination to be the best in his sport.  He has put in countless hours of training to reach this exact moment.  To prove he’s among the best of the best.  Now, he just needs the opportunity.  After all, he’s a boy with a dream.  A dream to simply have a chance to become a world champion, and we’d be so grateful if you’d help make his dream a reality.