Hi There!

Growing up, I bounced from sport to sport as many children do. I went from playing soccer to skateboarding, martial arts to surfing, and finally became a wrestler. Wrestling sparked a long journey in fitness that has led me to where I am today, and I could not be more grateful:

 

At 15 years old, I had my shoulder injured in a match. Specifically, I tore my rotator cuff. My shoulder would snap, crackle, and pop any time I moved my arm above my head; I was unable to lift more than 3 pounds, and most movements caused extreme pain. It seemed my short time as a wrestler would be over, but I was determined to recover. 

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After a lengthy process, months of physical therapy, eating healthy, and exercising as much as I could, my shoulder began to work again. I started lifting weights to strengthen my whole body, and I eventually was able to gain nearly 30 pounds before the end of high school. I fell in love with strength training, which I still consistently do to this day. My time in physical therapy inspired me to chose rehabilitation as my career path, and I could not be more happy with this decision.

 

When I applied to the University of Pittsburgh, I did not expect to be accepted. My letter came in the mail along with a cardboard cutout of the Cathedral of Learning, which I found over the top and exciting. When I first flew across the country to see the Pitt campus, I fell in love. I knew that my future was here, and I instantly made the choice to commit. Since that time, I have been able to work in fine dining, meet many incredible athletes, and personal train at UFC Gym. I could not be more happy with where I have ended up, and it is all thanks to my shoulder being destroyed when I was 15. While I no longer compete in combat sports, I bring the mindset I learned through competition and recovery along with me every day, and my hope is to help other people in a semblance of the way I once needed help.