Manute Bol, the 7-ft, 7-inch shot-blocking giant who played 624 games for four different NBA teams died today from complications of a rare skin disease. He contacted the illness during his time spent in his native country of Sudan Africa where Bol’s passion was helping his fellow natives in the war-torn country.

The 47-year-old Bol died at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville from internal bleeding and other complications from the disease known as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome.

Bol’s journey to the NBA started in southern Sudan where a basketball coach noticed him herding cattle with the Dinka tribe. Shortly after, Bol entered the U.S. not knowing a word of English and played for Bridgeport college before going on to become a crowd-pleaser in the NBA.

Whether on home court or on the road, crowds erupted when the Bol, one of the tallest players in NBA history, took the court, watching the player battle stouter competition like Shaq and Gheorghe Muresan.

Besides being known for his freakish, skeletal-like physique, Bol is known for his passion to help save his country and got involved in publicity stunts like Celebrity Boxing where he fought Refrigerator Perry, playing in an IHL hockey game and riding as a horse jockey in another event.

Though criticized by some, Bol did all of this for his country and was constantly trying to raise awareness and money for Sudan’s cause.

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