Aldo in Haiti / Photo: publicity - Não conta lá em casa
José Aldo was voted MMA fighter of 2010 both by GRACIEMAG readers and team. But there’s no changing him: it looks like the success of being UFC featherweight champion will never go to his head. Rather than taking some well-deserved down time in some holiday paradise, José Aldo took off for an aid mission in Haiti, a Caribbean nation ravaged by an earthquake in January of last year and still baring more damage than the opponents of the little fighter from the Amazon.
Via Twitter, @josealdojunior stated he will return home to Brazil tomorrow. He also commented on what he saw during the Hatian journey for “Esporte pela Paz” (“Sports for Peace”), along with other Brazilian stars.
“I’d never seen anything like it. I’m shocked, it’s all so sad. We complain about everything while our bellies are full,” the champion reflected, even crying during a lecture by volleyball player Nalbert in the nation’s capital, Port au Prince. “I was struck by emotion like never before. Luiz Lima (swimmer) paid tribute to a soldier who sang to kids at an orphanage. I wept a lot.”
Photo: André "Fran" Pires
Aldo also touched the hearts of some fans, especially the soldier Vanute Patreve, as captured on a video clip on Globoesporte.com.
Another of Aldo’s admirers was journalist André “Fran” Pires, who took a photo with his “guns cocked” facing his idol. “We spoke about the mission and the scenes will surely make the program,” said André, producer of the TV show “Não conta lá em casa,” airing Wednesday nights on Multishow television channel.