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About Me
I was born August 9, 1979 in Daytona Beach, Florida, which is located on the beachside in central Florida, about 50 miles east of Orlando. I spent nearly all of my childhood and adolescence there. I am the oldest of 3 siblings, 1 brother and 1 sister. My dad worked for the City of Ormond Beach and my mother was a jack of all trades in the food service arena.
My childhood was an active one; however, I can’t say I was always on my best behavior. I began to work at Subway before I was able to drive by myself so I learned the importance of the dollar early on. It was around this time I discovered the gym, which was just across the bridge from where I worked – East Coast Gym. It was a somewhat hardcore gym and I was definitely like a fish out of water there as I was very skinny and had no idea what I was doing. As a matter of fact, I remember quite well that I couldn’t even bench press 135 pounds.
In high school I played football and participated in some track and field events. I really enjoyed my years at Mainland High School and Father Lopez High School, sometimes a little too much. About my senior year I tossed around the idea of enlisting in the Marine Corps because I wanted a challenge and to do something bigger than myself. Initially, not many people thought I would be able to make it through boot camp, let alone excel like I did.
When I graduated high school I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps (USMC). It was onto a bus and headed for the infamous yellow footprints at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina. This was a life changing experience that I drastically needed. Once I was assigned to my first duty station in Camp LeJeune, North Carolina I began to do fitness related exercises everyday, which included a lot of running. My unit deployed to Okinawa, Japan and I found there wasn’t much to do except lift weights on my free time so I began trying to build somewhat of a foundation. I began to add supplements to my daily routine for the first time. Once I returned from this deployment I was in better shape than I had ever been in but I was very lean. Upon my return, and to my surprise, I was screened by the Marine Corps Body Bearers who were based out of the Marine Barracks in Washington, DC; the oldest post in the Marine Corps – 8th and I.
I was given an initial weightlifting assessment to gauge my current strength. The Body Bearer duty requires each member to have a certain strength capability due to the unique job requirement. The Body Bearer section assigns teams to conduct daily funerals at Arlington National Cemetery and abroad; essentially these Marines are military PallBearers. I passed the initial strength test and the next thing I knew I was on my way to Washington, DC. This is when I consider myself to have been “bitten by the bug”; a term us weightlifters use to describe the sudden, unparalleled motivation that keeps you hungry in the gym. I was still a fairly thin guy so it was time to start putting the weight on, and I did. Between drilling with extremely heavy caskets, lifting weights and performing actual funerals across the world, the human body has no other choice but to grow. As a section we use to shout terms from Ronnie Coleman such as, “Light weight” or “Nuttin but a peanut.” The gym and drill area for the Body Bearer section was an area where many people neglected to go while we were there because of the extreme motivation and intensity; it was something many people weren’t accustomed to being around. More on the USMC Body Bearers
From this came my 2nd special duty, personal security for the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace. Out of a group of other service members I was selected for this extremely humbling and unique duty. During the course of my time with General Pace I was able to be involved in historical moments in time such as President Ronald Reagan’s funeral and the swearing in of a new Secretary of Defense in one of the most critical times in our nation’s history. This was my last active service duty assignment and towards the end of my tenure in the Marine Corps it was extremely difficult to leave such an admirable superior. However, it was with great pride and sense of achievement that I left the Marine Corps with. General Peter Pace (USMC)
After living in Washington, DC for a few years it was time to pack up and head back to FL where the majority of my family lives. Just shortly after moving I was on a plane headed to Baghdad, Iraq to become part of a new mission in this new war on terror – Biometrics. Since August of 2005 I’ve been involved in the biometric security mission overseas, also known as BISA (Biometric Identification System for Access). Also during this time, I've spent a couple of years working at another location in Baghdad to assist the Iraqis in building their central repository for biometric data, also known as the Iraqi AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System).
Over the course of my Marine Corps and contracting career there has been an intense passion and it has led me to where I am today – this passion being the sport of bodybuilding. Bodybuilding is a lifestyle and it’s something that has helped me remain focused and disciplined in the most adverse times. My time in Iraq is nearing its end and my passion and love for the sport has finally taken shape. As one of the newest members of Tim Gardner’s, ‘Team Body*Tech’, and with his professional guidance, I finally plan to step on stage in October 2009.
I have 2 beautiful daughters, Cammille (the Princess) and Rhian (the Sleeper), who live Jacksonville, FL with their mother; you’ll see plenty of pictures of those two! The intent is to finish this summer to head back home to be with family and to open the next chapter. Until then, I will continue to train as hard as possible in hopes of being successful in the sport I love. As things progress I will keep everyone up-to-date with progress and changes.