EAST LANSING — As Mady Sissoko’s caravan approached his hometown in Africa last month, a hero’s welcome awaited him.
Lining the dirt road to Tangafoya, Mali, villagers young and old began celebrating his return like a savior. It became a festival-like atmosphere, complete with music and dancing in the streets.
Sissoko wasn’t just coming home as someone who chased his dreams overseas. The Michigan State basketball senior returned to provide things his people never before dreamed of having in their town.
A new school. A medical clinic. A deeper well to provide drinking water.