George Roop can still remember the time in the hospital. Hours stretching to days, days stretching to weeks. He can remember his infant son’s body going limp, Julian dying in his arms; the doctors frantically breathing life back into him.
It was then that those same doctors told him that his child wouldn’t live long, that he might not ever make it out of that hospital.
Julian Blaze Roop proved them wrong, made it seven years on this earth, through scores of tests and countless appointments with baffled doctors who couldn’t understand how he continued to grow. His heart finally gave out in Oct. 2009, his dad’s heart breaking with it.
George Roop, however, still had a job to do. Shortly before his son died, the professional mixed martial artist had talked to officials from the WEC, who’d told him if he won his Rage in the Cage fight in Nov., he’d soon have a job with them. To Roop, also the father of four-year-old twins Tristan and Nya, the decision was simple: like Julian had done all those years, he’d soldier on.
That Roop could continue with training camp was amazing; that he could win his fight with so much on his mind and so much at stake seems downright miraculous.
George Roop fights on after passing of son
George Roop can still remember the time in the hospital. Hours stretching to days, days stretching to weeks. He can remember his infant son’s body going limp, Julian dying in his arms; the doctors frantically breathing life back into him. It was then that those same doctors told him that his child wouldn’t live long,…
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