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Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

Marquette men’s soccer: Nortey found his family

James Nortey balances the ball on his head during Fan Fest. Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics

Editor’s note: This is the second part of a two-part profile on freshman James C. Nortey. For the first part, check the Tribune’s website.

Hotchkiss School was supposed to be C. Nortey’s only home.

He traveled from the Right to Dream Academy in Accra, Ghana, to study and play soccer at the Connecticut boarding school. Nortey was destined to live in the isolation of dorm life on a new continent.

But Jack Dickinson had other ideas.

Dickinson was Nortey’s next-door neighbor and best friend when the two were freshmen in 2007.

Thanksgiving break of that year, Dickinson — now a freshman at Duke — invited Nortey to Chicago to spend Thanksgiving with his family after hearing that Nortey would otherwise spend the break at Hotchkiss.

English was still a struggle for Nortey at the time and he couldn’t speak fluently. He couldn’t express himself. But Dickinson said everything Nortey needed said. He served as Nortey’s translator until Nortey, who spoke Ga, the local language in Accra, and Twi, the regional language, became comfortable enough with English, by the end of sophomore year.

Nortey made an instant impact on members of the Dickinson family. They liked him. He liked them. And they gave Nortey an open invitation to come back to their home whenever he wanted.

Dan Dickinson, Jack’s father, said the family didn’t know where the relationship would go or what it would turn into. But what it turned into was a relationship that would alter the lives of all involved. Nortey proceeded to spend every break he could with the Dickinson family.

“When you cut through it all, he is a great person to be with,” Dan Dickinson said. “We have four kids and every one of our kids embraced him. We talked about it as a family about how lucky we are to have him as part of our family.”

On a scale of one to 10, with 10 being most important, Nortey ranked the Dickinson family as a 10, because upon his arrival at Hotchkiss, he “had nobody.”

“Right now, they get me. They get everything that I’m about,” Nortey said. “They’re trying their best to let my dreams come true for me. And I’m not relying on them to do everything for me. But I know they are there for me. If I hit the wall, and I cannot go anymore, they are there to help me out.”

While Nortey was not provided an actual host family through either the Right to Dream Academy or Hotchkiss, he said the natural bond that was formed with the Dickensons earns them that title. In return, the Dickinsons have embraced him as one of their own.

“We’re fortunate to have him as part of our family,” Dan Dickinson said. “Through all his challenges, this kid has incredible optimism, incredible fortitude and character and ability and perseverance. It’s really inspirational.”

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