At eleven years old, while living in Riverside, California, my life changed in an instant. I survived a gunshot that left me completely blind. At that age, I could not understand why I had survived or what my life would become. I only knew that everything was different.
Years later, I came to believe that God spared my life for a reason. That belief did not erase the difficult days or make every road easier. It gave them meaning. Being given another chance meant learning what I wanted to do with the life I had been given.
I kept moving forward. In 2001, I wrestled for Ramona High School in Riverside. Wrestling taught me discipline, determination, and something I would carry with me long after leaving the mat: life will knock you down. What matters is whether you are willing to rise again.
