Meet Perry High's Yonas Andemichael, a cross country star who always puts others first
PERRY – Olympian Meb Keflezighi has just finished his Zoom conversation with a room full of Perry High School students when junior Yonas Andemichael walks to the computer to get a better view of the running star.
Andemichael, a runner on the Perry cross country team, wants to chat with Keflezighi himself.
“I have a question,” Andemichael says to him through the computer.
Andemichael actually has more than one. He’s enthralled by Keflezighi, a refugee from Eritrea who came to the United States and embarked on a prolific athletic career. Andemichael is interested in his story because he can relate to it. The 17-year-old comes from the same country and is trying to make a name for himself as a runner.
“It inspired me because some of the story he was telling, it’s kind of the same as mine,” Andemichael said.
Andemichael’s story is just as inspiring as Keflezighi's. The high school star has become his team’s top runner and best leader this season. But as great as he has been all season running, Andemichael has more sides to him. He once gave away a pair of his running shoes. He nearly walked away from the sport to take care of his family.
On Saturday, he'll run in the Iowa high school Class 3A state cross country meet in Fort Dodge.
“There’s so much more in his world than some of my other athletes and some of my other students and he still comes and works as hard as he can every day,” said Perry coach Tina Lutterman.
Andemichael nearly walks away from the sport to help his family
Andemichael moved to the United States around 2013. His parents thought America would be safer and provide better opportunities for the family. But finding those chances weren't easy early on. They first moved to West Virginia, then relocated to Des Moines, then Sioux City and finally Perry where his parents landed jobs working at Tyson Fresh Meats.
They got shifts working early in the morning into early evening. That meant Andemichael became the head of their three-bedroom apartment in Perry. Even as a sophomore in high school, he was tasked with helping take care of his younger sisters Rahwa, now in fourth grade, and Teklu, a second-grader. Andemichael picked them up from school and helped them with their homework until their parents arrived.
“They’re working really hard, providing a great life and I understand how hard it is,” Andemichael said of his parents.
Andemichael did whatever he could to help out. Sometimes that meant having his little sisters come to practices or meets with him for track last season or cross country this year. The girls would hang out at the football field while Andemichael worked out. Sometimes they'd go on runs with their brother and his teammates during the summer. Lutterman was impressed by the great lengths Andemichael would go to make sure his sisters were taken care of.
“The hard work that he puts in and the dedication, knowing that he has so many other things that he has to deal with,” she said.
Andemichael didn't just look over his family. He cared about everyone he got to know. When he noticed one of his teammates didn’t have actual running shoes to practice or compete in earlier this season, Andemichael gave up one of the few sets he had. Andemichael didn’t have much himself. But he figured his teammate needed it more than him.
“My parents always taught me, treat everyone the way you want to be treated,” Andemichael said. “It’s like giving back. I always wanted to help people.”
Andemichael took that approach to heart so much so that he was willing to sacrifice his cross country career. When Andemichael’s mom went to Africa earlier this year to visit family, his role around their small apartment expanded even more. Running suddenly took a backseat to everything. Andemichael didn’t think he had the time to help out and run. So he took his jersey to Lutterman and told her he was quitting the team.
She couldn't believe it. The team's best runner was willing to walk away from the sport before he even had a shot to qualify for state.
“It was already a struggle,” Andemichael said. “I wanted to do the sport I love but also, it was family. You always choose family first.”
His family ultimately was able to get some help around the apartment from an older sister to allow Andemichael to finish the season. His sacrifices were quickly rewarded.
Andemichael's selfless acts rewarded
When Mike Jay heard about Andemichael, he wanted to help. Jay, the longtime voice of the Drake Relays and some of the biggest running events across the country, formed the Track Guy Foundation in 2018. The purpose was to give back to runners by purchasing shoes, granting scholarships and providing funding for summer camps.
Jay had heard about Andemichael and several of his teammates who are also from Eritrea. When he found out they might need shoes, he took them shopping. Jay spoke with Andemichael as they picked out shoes. He was impressed not only by how he ran but also how he carried himself.
“He really stands out as special,” Jay said.
Jay then told longtime sportscaster John Anderson about the Perry runners. Anderson relayed the story to Keflezighi and his brother, Merhawi, who offered to jump on the Zoom call with the athletes to share their story. They gathered for a special online meeting with students from Perry at the school's library on Oct. 3. Andemichael sat in the front row, intently listening. He then peppered Keflezighi with questions afterward.
"That inspired me to work harder than I could ever work," Andemichael said.
Lutterman said Andemichael is far and away the school's top boys runner and is a huge motivator for the girls team as well. Andemichael, who medaled in every meet he ran in this season, qualified for the state meet with a time of 16 minutes 48.87 seconds in Pella on Oct. 18. One of the first things he asked Lutterman was if he could get shirts celebrating his accomplishment for his siblings as well. It's that type of selflessness that draws others to him.
"He always motivates me," said Perry senior runner Minasey Tewelde.
Andemichael is hoping this is just the start of things. He has his sights set on running in college. His biggest incentive behind the goal: a scholarship. Andemichael said he knows how much he can help his family. After college, he said he wants to become a priest. That seems appropriate for a young man who is constantly looking out for others.
"I always wanted to help people," Andemichael says with a smile.
Tommy Birch, the Register's sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He's the 2018 and 2020 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Perry runner Yonas Andemichael shows selflessness ahead of state meet
