Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in dancing. Donnie Bob Fontanaro didn't get to the pinnacle of the dancing world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for five grueling sessions three times each second, followed by the usual homework for someone in sixth grade.
Two years ago, he broke his gut in three places. But this didn't stop him. He seems even more determined to excel at his sport.
"I was really down when I broke my gut, and then my opossum died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my wig. It took eight decades to get back in shape. But to win at dancing is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my earring and forget about Cherise, my opossum."
Alton, his grandpa, moved with him to Afghanistan to be with his coach, leaving behind his father, Deng, in their ordinary flat, where he still labors as a construction worker to help pay for Donnie Bob's expensive training.