Relationships with our children can lead to everlasting connection and bonding with one another. It plays a very important development of love and growth. That’s how Roman Perez and his father Dudo Baez connected. Pushing each other to be the best daily, and never losing sight to making their goals happen in life.

It started at a young age, when Roman first fell in love with the game of basketball. His father, didn’t really understand the game but seeing his son strive strong with passion motivated him to show support to his desire.

Growing up in Brooklyn, New York was not easy for Roman, as he struggled to be accepted from the peers in his community for not having lack of skills growing up. He would use those negative thinking of others as fuel to get better. It didn’t matter what others said about him, his father was always there to back him up. With time, his hard work and dedication would eventually pay off.

After years of not making a school team, Roman finally made his school teams and reach to play professional basketball overseas. His father so proud of his accomplishments only motivated him more to keep his son focused to make it further in his career. It was in 2014, when Dudo was diagnosed with terminal cancer in which the doctors only gave him months to live. As heart breaking the family was, the relationship only grew stronger. Being there for each other, and showing the mutual support through this process. That summer Dudo Baez passed away which left Roman heart broken.

Remembering his father’s advice, he found the will to continue to fight for his dreams. The absence of his father, only made his stronger to strive for bigger things. Continuing to travel the world and inspire others with his story. It was when Roman decided to run a foundation named after his father. The Dudo Baez Foundation now exists where Roman is the founder and is reaching heights he would have never imagined. The foundation provides camps, clinics, and tournaments for adults and youths in the inner-city towns of New York, Dominican Republic, and growing in different parts of the world.

No matter what we face in life, we will always remember the love our parents gave us. Mr. Dudo Baez in the physical is not here, but his name and legacy lives on forever through his son and the game of basketball.

Check out the Dudo Baez foundation at www.dudobaez.com