Jose Martinez

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Who is Jose Martinez?

I am a retired army specialist. I was born in Compton and grew up all over Los Angeles. Graduated early from high school and started working my last 2 years from high school to help out my family. Recession hit in 2008 and I was laid off work soon after. I was strongly trying to find myself all over again. I stumbled across a green beret documentary and was intrigued by their focus and what they where saying, everything is a mental game. So I lost weight and got my mind right and joined the army soon after.

The army life was amazing as long as you stayed focused and did what you were told everything was peachy! We left to war and our whole lives changed after that. I was hurt in march 3 2012 after stepping on an I.E.D. I instantly lost both legs and my right arm. I woke up 10 days later at Walter Reed. Everyone had told my unit I wasn't going to make it, but I woke up. I asked the doctors when can I walk again they told me I would probably never be able to walk again. That left me in a huge depression I was crying everyday and always asking why me. My recovery took 2 years of being in the hospital and continues work but I was able to walk out of there on my new legs!

I've dealt through depression, opiate addiction (from doctors trying to keep my pain down). But through all this I still kept going I knew that this pain wasn't going to be forever. I kept smiling through the dark days and promised myself that I will do all in my power so the world never feels what I have felt. So I started changing the way I view life. Yes this is accident changed the way I put on my pants, but It would be a tragedy if i would of let it defeat me. I started challenging myself to see what cant I do, and with that I developed a love for surfing. Now I'm competitively surfing trying to make it on the Paralympics representing team USA once again!