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Joseph Fanhbulleh has explained the tragic reason involving his family that inspired him to represent Liberia instead of his country of birth USA.
Sprinter Joseph Fahnbulleh’s decision to represent Liberia on the global stage is rooted in a deeply personal and painful family history — one tied to war, sacrifice, and resilience.
Both of his parents were born in Liberia but were forced to flee the country as children during a violent coup.
His great-uncle, a vocal advocate against apartheid and for justice, was assassinated on sight due to his political stance. As members of the Talbert family — a lineage once close to Liberia's leadership — they became targets.
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Joseph Fanhbulleh: My Parents Fled to From Liberia at 12
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Anyone carrying the Talbert name was considered a threat and marked for execution. To survive, Joseph’s family had to scatter. His aunts and uncle fled to the UK, while his mother and grandmother found refuge in the United States.
“My mom and dad moved here when they were around 12,” Joseph Fahnbulleh explained on Justin Gatlin’s Ready Set Go. “They had to flee. And my mom hasn’t been back since.”
Eventually, Joseph grew up in Minnesota, where a trip for a family wedding turned into a permanent move. He credits much of his upbringing and development, especially as an athlete and person, to his high school experience at Hopkins.
Coaches like Nick Lovevice and Austin Solargo became father figures in his life — especially important since he never had one at home. “Love was like my dad,” Joseph said. “He taught me how to be a man.”
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But as Joseph’s career in track and field accelerated, so did his sense of identity and responsibility. The emotional weight of his family’s past, especially his mother’s silent endurance, began to resonate more deeply.
“She never really talked to anyone about what happened. She just bottled it all up,” Joseph says. “She had to be both my mom and dad. Representing Liberia is the least I can do to honor her — to show respect for everything she went through.”
A Mother’s Support
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When the time came to choose which country to represent, he asked his mother: the U.S. or Liberia? She told him to follow his heart — she would support him either way. That, for Joseph, sealed the decision. “Since you supported me, let me support you the best way I can,” he told her.
With encouragement from people like coach Holloway, who reminded him that he could make a name for himself in Africa, Joseph made his choice: Liberia.
"Our family tree is so rich in history, but a lot of it was wiped away by greed and jealousy,” Joseph reflects. “I’m trying to rewrite that — not just for me, but for my kids, and for the generations to come.”
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