I would first like to congratulate my Cousin Joseph M. YOUNG for signing up with the Indiana Pacers. It is good to see how his hard work and dedication contributed to his entry into the NBA, where I’m sure he’ll continue his legacy. Secondly, I would like to thank Mr. Larry Bird for actually creating an historic moment by reconnecting the descendants of twin slaves born in Opelousas, Louisiana.
Yes, that’s right. It just so happens that the Pacers’ star Paul George’s paternal 4th great grandmother, Merice DONATO, is the twin sister of Joe Young’s maternal 4th great grandmother, Olympe DONATO. Merice and Olympe DONATO were the Mulatto daughters of Céleste, a Negresse [Negro] slave of Martin DONATO BELLO, a wealthy and affluent free man of color of Opelousas, Louisiana and native of New Orleans. Martin DONATO BELLO emancipated the ancestors of the 2 basketball players in his last will, dated September 2, 1847.
When Paul George’s ancestor Merice Donato died at a young age, her sister Olympe reared her daughters with assistance from their father, Dr. Frédéric Acher of France, physician of the deceased Martin Donato Bello.
To see descendants of each twin reconnected on the same NBA team 167 years later is amazing. As the two teammates bond, they can also catch up with meeting each other’s family, after all they descend from the same Louisiana tree. Hopefully, this encourages you all to dig up your roots.
