Panther Bior
Encyclopedia
Panther Garang Bior is one of the 27,000 Lost Boys of Sudan
. His journey was featured in the National Geographic Society
's 2007 award-winning documentary, God Grew Tired of Us
(executive produced by Brad Pitt
and narrated by Nicole Kidman
).
(now in South Sudan
) in 1981. In the late 1980s, Panther was far from his home watching cattle when his village was attacked by the Muslim Sudanese Government. Escaping to the jungle, Bior, along with the other Lost Boys, spent the next five years trekking more than 1,000 miles barefoot throughout Kenya
and Ethiopia
, seeking refuge from the genocide, disease, and starvation. In an interview with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
, Panther described the hellish journey, "We were told to run east, through the desert, to Ethiopia," he says. "We were surviving by drinking the muddy water, and from the backs of leaves and whatever fruit we could find, maybe a little bit of grass. Many people lost their lives." Panther went on to describe how his best friend had been killed by a lion and his young nephew didn't survive the journey because his feet were torn up by the miles of walking, "We had to leave him in the desert," Bior says. "He died."
Finally arriving at Kakuma
's refugee camp in Kenya
, the Lost Boys numbers had been dramatically decreased. In 2001, assisted by Catholic Charities
, Panther was relocated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
along with a number of other Lost Boys to start a new life in the United States
.
soil, Panther Bior has been arduously working to get established in a new culture while struggling with a myriad of mixed emotions: Interviewed in the Pittsburgh Catholic
, Panther said, "It gives one hope. Now we are in America. But we think of when we were in the desert, with no clothes. I flash back to how my brothers missed the chance to come to America...I have tears of joy and tears of sorrow,” he said.
In 2005, Panther traveled back to Africa
to marry his girlfriend, Nyanthiec. After the wedding he returned to the United States
to fill out the necessary paperwork and begin the financial struggles of bringing his wife to the U.S. Three years later, he brought her back to the United States
. Bior is currently living with his wife and two children in Pittsburgh. Graduating from Point Park University
with a B.S. in Accounting, Panther is pursuing his master degree in Organizational Leadership. Bior works for the Bank of New York Mellon
(BNYM) as an accounting analyst.
As featured in the "Take Action" section of God Grew Tired of Us
, Bior is intent upon building a school in his home village of Mareng. In the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, Panther is quoted as saying, "We need connections, just like the connections that brought us over from Africa." With such connections and now armed with a solid education, Panther has high hopes for the future of his homeland. “My country’s rich, got a lot of oil, got a lot of gold. But our people don’t know how to exploit them. So I have to come there, build a school, tell people the direction. And I can tell there’s--there’s improvement I’m bringing in the world." With such a heart and ambition, Panther's vision to build a school is coming in to focus as he partners with Heaven's Family, an international ministry based out of Pittsburgh.
Lost Boys of Sudan
The Lost Boys of Sudan is the name given to the groups of over 20,000 boys of the Nuer and Dinka ethnic groups who were displaced and/or orphaned during the Second Sudanese Civil War , about 2.5 million killed and millions were displaced...
. His journey was featured in the National Geographic Society
National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society , headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical...
's 2007 award-winning documentary, God Grew Tired of Us
God Grew Tired of Us
God Grew Tired of Us is a 2006 documentary film about three of the "Lost Boys of Sudan", a group of some 25,000 young men who have fled the wars in Sudan since the 1980s, and their experiences as they move to the United States. The film was written and directed by Christopher Dillon Quinn...
(executive produced by Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt
William Bradley "Brad" Pitt is an American actor and film producer. Pitt has received two Academy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations, winning one...
and narrated by Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Mary Kidman, AC is an American-born Australian actress, singer, film producer, spokesmodel, and humanitarian. After starring in a number of small Australian films and TV shows, Kidman's breakthrough was in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm...
).
Biography
Panther was born in the village of Mareng in Bor, SudanBor, Sudan
-Location:The town of Bor is located in Bor South County, Jonglei State, in central South Sudan, approximately , by road, north of Juba, the capital and largest city in that country. The town is located on the east bank of the White Nile...
(now in South Sudan
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
) in 1981. In the late 1980s, Panther was far from his home watching cattle when his village was attacked by the Muslim Sudanese Government. Escaping to the jungle, Bior, along with the other Lost Boys, spent the next five years trekking more than 1,000 miles barefoot throughout Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, seeking refuge from the genocide, disease, and starvation. In an interview with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, also known as "the Trib," is the second largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
, Panther described the hellish journey, "We were told to run east, through the desert, to Ethiopia," he says. "We were surviving by drinking the muddy water, and from the backs of leaves and whatever fruit we could find, maybe a little bit of grass. Many people lost their lives." Panther went on to describe how his best friend had been killed by a lion and his young nephew didn't survive the journey because his feet were torn up by the miles of walking, "We had to leave him in the desert," Bior says. "He died."
Finally arriving at Kakuma
Kakuma
Kakuma town is located in Turkana District, in the northwestern region of Kenya. Kakuma is the Swahili word for "nowhere", epitomizing the seclusion of the area....
's refugee camp in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, the Lost Boys numbers had been dramatically decreased. In 2001, assisted by Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities is a network of charities whose aim is "to provide service to people in need, to advocate for justice in social structures, and to call the entire church and other people of good will to do the same." It is one of the largest charities in the United States...
, Panther was relocated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
along with a number of other Lost Boys to start a new life in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Today
Since first stepping foot on AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soil, Panther Bior has been arduously working to get established in a new culture while struggling with a myriad of mixed emotions: Interviewed in the Pittsburgh Catholic
Pittsburgh Catholic
The Pittsburgh Catholic is the weekly Catholic newspaper for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, published for lay people and priests. It labels itself as the oldest Catholic newspaper in continuous publication. The newspaper was established in 1844, by Rt. Rev. Michael O'Connor, D.D...
, Panther said, "It gives one hope. Now we are in America. But we think of when we were in the desert, with no clothes. I flash back to how my brothers missed the chance to come to America...I have tears of joy and tears of sorrow,” he said.
In 2005, Panther traveled back to Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
to marry his girlfriend, Nyanthiec. After the wedding he returned to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to fill out the necessary paperwork and begin the financial struggles of bringing his wife to the U.S. Three years later, he brought her back to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Bior is currently living with his wife and two children in Pittsburgh. Graduating from Point Park University
Point Park University
Point Park University is a liberal arts university located in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Formerly known as Point Park College, the school name was revised in 2004 to reflect the number of graduate programs being offered....
with a B.S. in Accounting, Panther is pursuing his master degree in Organizational Leadership. Bior works for the Bank of New York Mellon
Bank of New York Mellon
The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation is a global financial services company formed on July 1, 2007 as result of the merger of The Bank of New York and Mellon Financial Corporation...
(BNYM) as an accounting analyst.
As featured in the "Take Action" section of God Grew Tired of Us
God Grew Tired of Us
God Grew Tired of Us is a 2006 documentary film about three of the "Lost Boys of Sudan", a group of some 25,000 young men who have fled the wars in Sudan since the 1980s, and their experiences as they move to the United States. The film was written and directed by Christopher Dillon Quinn...
, Bior is intent upon building a school in his home village of Mareng. In the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG," is the largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.-Early history:...
, Panther is quoted as saying, "We need connections, just like the connections that brought us over from Africa." With such connections and now armed with a solid education, Panther has high hopes for the future of his homeland. “My country’s rich, got a lot of oil, got a lot of gold. But our people don’t know how to exploit them. So I have to come there, build a school, tell people the direction. And I can tell there’s--there’s improvement I’m bringing in the world." With such a heart and ambition, Panther's vision to build a school is coming in to focus as he partners with Heaven's Family, an international ministry based out of Pittsburgh.