Joey Umana, the ultimate Rocky fan, recreated several iconic locations from the popular movie at his Long Island home, writes Rita Giordano for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Umana first saw Rocky when he was 14, and the movie immediately spoke to him.
“I loved that he was the underdog,” the now 62-year-old said. “I love that. He didn’t even care if he won the fight. He just wanted to go the distance, and that’s what I’ve been doing my whole life.”
He has amassed an eclectic collection of Rocky memorabilia over the years, including posters, autographs, and some signed boxing gloves. But his latest project took his obsession with the movie to a whole other level.
The retired truck driver has been crafting intricate replicas of iconic Rocky locations since last November, all created freestyle without the use of instructions.
“I had no idea what I was doing,” he said. “I said, ‘Let me see if I can do this.’ I just found a talent I never knew I had.”
One of the scenes includes a model of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and its iconic steps, which Umana went to visit with his son Joey, two years ago.
Read more about Joey Umana and his creative Rocky-inspired home in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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