Hoops and Healing: Merdy Mongozi Overcomes Open Heart Surgery
Merdy Mongozi plays a key role for the Bluefield University’s men’s basketball team, despite not playing on the court.
Originally from Kinshasa of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa, Mongozi came to Bluefield from William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa, in the fall of 2023 to play basketball for the Rams. Soon after, he realized he needed open heart surgery, a reality BU athletic trainers helped discover during the ‘23’-’24 season. Mongozi recalls that shocking moment.
“We didn’t know I needed heart surgery,” Mongozi said. “It was out of nowhere, because I felt no pain at all. I went to the cafe in the morning to get some breakfast and out of nowhere they told me I needed to go to the ER for surgery.”
Mongozi’s words highlight the shock and uncertainty he faced upon learning his condition — that he needed heart valve replaced with a mechanical valve. It was a life-altering moment that forced him to rethink everything.
“It gave me a different perspective of life, starting by paying attention to small things, like health, and getting monthly check-ups to make sure my body is functioning as it should,” Mongozi said. “It’s made me more grateful for playing this game of life because I have believed we all could end up on some unpleasant situation like I did, but having God and family by your side — that’s the shield everyone needs.”
While the surgery was a major hurdle, the real test came during recovery. Mongpzi opened up about how long it took to regain his strength and return to normal life.
“I had my open heart surgery three months ago and pain-wise, I don’t have any pain anymore, and I have three days of rehab,” he said. “I am about at 80 percent.”
When asked about the complications and how he overcame them, he looked anxious and said: “When I got out (of surgery) the first time, I was still bleeding, and they took me back to do another open-heart surgery.”
But Mongozi pulled through, and he spoke about the inspiration behind his recovery.
“I am Christian, and I had faith that God was going to help me,” Mongozi said. “I also had my coaches and teammates there for me.”
Now, Mongozi’s key role is cheering and coaching the Rams. He’s serving as a student assistant coach with the hope of returning to the court for play sometime in the near future. For now, he said he’s enjoying the opportunity to “lift up” others, especially freshmen and sophomores.
Outside of basketball, Mongozi is a graduate student pursuing his master’s degree in business administration (MBA). He also enjoys playing video games, fishing, and other outdoor activities. He hopes to someday play basketball in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
“Maybe I’d aim to make it to the NBA, become an MVP, or lead my team to multiple championships,” Mongozi said. “Or, if I were more of a strategist, I might want to be a legendary coach like Phil Jackson or Gregg Popovich.”
Photos courtesy of Merdy Mongozi and burams.com.