>> I WAS THE FIRST PERSON IN MY FAMILY OUT
OF ALL MY BROTHERS AND SISTER AND MY PARENTS
TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, LET ALONE TAKE
THE NEXT STEP AND GO ON TO COLLEGE.
IT WAS NOT JUST EXCITING BUT I THINK THEY
WERE JUST VERY PROUD OF ME.
WHEN I GOT ON CAMPUS, UH, AT COLLEGE, YOU
KNOW, IT WAS KIND OF THE SAME THING.
IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A CULTURE SHOCK FOR
ME.
I ARRIVED ON CAMPUS AND THERE WERE ONLY SEVEN
LATINOS ON THE WHOLE CAMPUS AT THE TIME SO
YOU TALK ABOUT STICKING OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB,
I DEFINITELY DID.
I WAS DIFFERENT BECAUSE I CAME FROM A CULTURE
OF EATING PAPAS AND TORTILLAS AND THING LIKE
THAT FOR BREAKFAST AND GOING THERE IT WAS
JUST TOTALLY OPPOSITE.
FORTUNATELY I MET A GREAT BUDDY OF MINE, DAVID
CARINO, WHO'S A COACH AND HE WAS THERE.
HE HAD ALREADY SPENT A YEAR THERE.
HE HELPED ME ADAPT IN A SENSE TO WHAT I WAS
GETTING READY TO STEP INTO.
SEVERAL TIMES I WANTED TO COME HOME AND GIVE
UP, YOU KNOW, IT WAS TOUGH AT TIMES, I MISS
HOME, I MISS MY PARENTS AND MY FAMILY.
I CAN RECALL PACKING AT NIGHT AND MY BUDDY
DAVID TELLING ME YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE,
HE WOULDN'T LET ME LEAVE.
THINGS LIKE THAT.
IT WAS DEFINITELY A JOURNEY, YOU KNOW, WELL
WORTH.
DR.
ZELLER WAS ANOTHER BIG INFLUENCE IN MY LIFE
AND I REMEMBER BEING THERE AT THE UNIVERSITY
IT WAS ABOUT MY SOPHOMORE YEAR, YOU KNOW,
AND IT'S TOUGH.
MY PARENTS DIDN'T CONTRIBUTE A WHOLE LOT FINANCIALLY
TO MY COLLEGE EDUCATION.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO.
I DIDN'T BREAK THE RECORD ON THE SAT BUT WHEN
I GOT TO UNIVERSITY I STARTED DOING WELL ACADEMICALLY
AND ATHLETICALLY SO I WAS RECEIVING PRETTY
GOOD COMPENSATION FOR BOOKS AND ALL THAT.
THE DAY TO DAY GRIND OF JUST FINDING FOOD
AND YOU KNOW GETTING FUEL AND ALL THOSE THINGS,
THAT WAS TOUGH.
I REMEMBER ONE TIME COMING HOME, CHECKING
THE MAIL AND I GET A LETTER FROM DR.
ZELLER TELLING ME HOW PROUD HE WAS OF ME,
JUST TO KEEP PUSHING FORWARD THAT HE WOULD
BE HERE AND ANYTHING I NEEDED HE WOULD BE
THERE.
HE INCLUDES A CHECK FOR A HUNDRED DOLLAR AND
SAYS GO HAVE DINNER ON ME SOMEWHERE.
HE WOULD DO THOSE TYPES OF THINGS FOR ME.
I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT I GUESS HE JUST FELT
LIKE PAYING IT FORWARD.
HE WOULD TELL ME PAY IT FORWARD.
ANOTHER GOOD EXAMPLE THAT SUMMER I CAME HOME
FOR SUMMER BREAK AND, UH, I GOT INTO A CAR
ACCIDENT.
I WRECKED MY CAR, AND TOTALED MY CAR.
IT WAS TIME TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND I WAS
WAITING FOR MY BEST FRIEND DAVID TO COME IN
AND PICK ME UP.
DR.
ZZELLER CALLS ME AND SAYS I SEE YOU GOT INTO
A CAR WRECK.
HE SAYS I WANT YOU TO GO TO WESTERN MOTOR
AND PICK OUT A VEHICLE.
I DIDN'T EXPECT ANYTHING FROM ANYONE.
HE SENDS ME TO WESTERN MOTOR, HAD ALREADY
TALKED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THINGS, AND ALLOWED
ME TO PIC OUT A CAR AND HE PAID FOR IT AND
THEN THE VERY NEXT SUMMER I CAME BACK WITH
THE INTENTION OBVIOUSLY STARTING TO PAY HIM
BACK.
I SPENT ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE WEEK GOING TO SEE
HIM.
ABOUT THE FIFTH TIME I GO TO HIS HOUSE HE
SAYS WHY DO YOU KEEP COMING OVER HERE AND
GIVING ME MONEY.
I SAID I HAVE TO, HE SAYS YOU CAN STOP PAYING
ME NOW BECAUSE WHAT YOU WILL DO IN YOUR FUTURE,
YOU WILL PAY MORE KIDS 10 TIMES THE VALUE
OF THIS VEHICLE THAN YOU WILL EVER BY PAYING
ME BACK.
SO STOP PAYING THIS MOMENT.
YOU KNOW, IN THIS PROFESSION DAILEY YOU'RE
GIVING BACK, YOU'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE
NEXT MYSELF I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE NEXT
MARTIN AND THERE'S A LOT OF THEM OUT THERE,
SO I WISH THERE WERE MORE OF ME TO GO AROUND
BECAUSE I ENJOY DOING WHAT WE DO, BUT I KEEP
THAT IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, I OWE, I OWE,
I OWE.
