“I’m Proud of the Journey That Shaped Me”

Holt adoptee Belay Brummel was born on a farm in Ethiopia. But with hard work, determination and a passion for life, he’s now a college graduate with big dreams for the future.

In the summer of 2005, Ethiopia was in the midst of a devastating drought. The land was parched, food and water were scarce, and livestock were dying. In July of that year, Holt adoptee Belay Brummel was born on a farm outside of Addis Ababa, one of seven children. Belay, now 20, has few memories of his early days on the farm, but he does recall being brought to an orphanage in Addis Ababa when he was 4. “I was later told that my father wanted me to have a chance at a better life, even if it meant letting me go,” Belay says. Acknowledging his father’s sacrifice, Belay adds, “I’ve always been moved by how selfless that decision was.”

Belay lived in the orphanage for at least a year, surrounded by younger children. Conditions were often difficult as the nation continued to experience poverty, drought and famine. When food was scarce, Belay made sure the younger children ate before he did. “I’ve always felt a responsibility to look out for other people, so even then, I was paying attention to the younger kids,” he says. “I wanted to make sure they had the food and care they needed.”

While Belay was growing up in Addis Ababa, another story was unfolding more than 7,500 miles away. Rebekah and Jeff Brummel, the parents of three young children, were living on a corn and soybean farm outside of Chicago. One day, as they viewed Holt’s waiting child photolisting, they saw Belay’s picture and knew he was meant to be a part of their family. “We had always talked about adopting someday,” Rebekah says. “But when we saw Belay’s photo, it pushed us to take definitive steps.”

About 9 months later, in July 2010, Rebekah, Jeff and their oldest son, Jack, flew to Addis Ababa to adopt Belay. “When we arrived at the care center, Jack spotted Belay through the window and jumped out of the van to see him,” Rebekah recalls. “The meeting was amazing — better than we ever could have expected. Belay’s waiting child picture was so serious. But when we met him, he was full of smiles. Our first impression was that he was outgoing and magnetic. There was a light about him.”

Exploring Life in the U.S.

Belay arrived at his new home in the summer of 2010, enveloped by long sunlit days and new possibilities. Driving up to the family farm in Illinois, he eyed with wonder the huge electric poles that lined the roadway. He remembers seeing tractors, a big yard and a treehouse, where he would later play with his siblings.

Being on a farm felt familiar to Belay, but his new life would also present challenges. “When I first arrived in the U.S., everything felt completely different,” Belay says. “I was across the world with a new family. I didn’t speak English and I had no idea what was going on.” Being a child who by nature wanted to excel at things, Belay found it frustrating to not be able to communicate with those around him. “Learning English was one of the hardest parts,” he recalls.

Before long, however, Belay started going to kindergarten, which helped smooth his transition. Even though he’d never been to school before, Belay — a self-described “naturally outgoing person” — loved being around other kids his age. At first, he attended kindergarten until only 11 a.m., but by Thanksgiving, he was staying all day with the rest of the class. In addition, his teacher and two of her aides took turns tutoring Belay, and soon enough he began to learn English.

Being physically active also proved therapeutic and helped Belay acclimate to a new life and social culture. When he first came home, Belay would go for long runs around the farm with his older sister Lily, Rebekah recalls. “I was never someone who liked sitting still. I always wanted to be doing something,” Belay says with a laugh.

By the time he was 5, Belay started playing soccer, then later he wrestled, practiced judo and got involved in baseball and basketball. His athleticism helped him make friends at school from an early age. “I was really good at recess,” Belay recalls with a smile. “When you were the best player in kickball or the one hitting home runs, it was easy to make friends.”

As Belay got older, football became a natural outlet, especially the quarterback position. He was drawn to both the team aspect of the game and the leadership role the position demanded. “When you’re a quarterback, you’re involved in every play,” he says. “You have to understand what’s happening before the ball is even snapped, know what everyone is supposed to do and then make sure the ball gets to the right person. I think that level of responsibility and involvement naturally fit my personality.”

Moving on to College — and Beyond

Belay graduated high school in 2023 as a member of the National Honor Society and captain and quarterback of the football team.  (He and his siblings also started a farm-to-table beef and pork business, which is still operating and expanding.) When it came time to choose a college, he selected the University of California, Berkeley, which offered him a preferred walk-on spot on its football team. Belay accepted the offer without visiting the campus, taking a leap of faith that would place him more than 2,000 miles from his family. Speaking of his decision, Belay says, “I knew UC Berkeley was a great school, and I believed there was value in spreading my wings and experiencing something new. So I decided to commit.”

Belay’s college years, while fulfilling, have had their ups and downs, but each experience has given him a chance to learn and grow. For example, one of Belay’s early disappointments was that he saw no playing time during his years at UC Berkeley, even though he was on the Golden Bears official roster. So he turned his efforts toward starting a quarterback training and mentorship program in the community to coach young male and female athletes. He also organized his school’s Golden Buddies football camp in 2025 — an inclusive event that welcomed to campus more than 500 children of all abilities for a day filled with fun and engaging football activities.

In addition to his sports involvement, Belay was a dedicated student who earned his bachelor’s degree in political economy in two and a half years, finishing his coursework in December 2025. Citing the fact that he still doesn’t like to sit still, Belay says he achieved this goal by taking additional courses in the summer. Currently, he is working as an intern at a private equity firm in San Francisco and exploring his next steps in business, entrepreneurship and football.

Tracing his life’s journey, from a farm in rural Ethiopia to the halls of UC Berkeley to the gridiron and beyond, Belay wrote recently in a college publication about what success means to him: “If there’s one thing I’ve learned on this journey so far, it’s that success isn’t binary. It’s not just wins and losses. It’s about showing up, giving your best effort, and making the best decisions with the information you have. From being adopted during a famine to graduating in 2.5 years from Berkeley, I’m proud of the journey that shaped me.”