(WSVN) – A martial arts studio in Hialeah is making a powerful move. The owner is opening his doors for free to kids whose families can\u2019t afford lessons. Heather Walker shares why in this 7Spotlight.<\/p>\n
Inside this martial arts studio in Hialeah, every punch and kick comes with a purpose \u2014 and now, a new promise: free classes for kids whose families can\u2019t afford them.<\/p>\n
Damian Rodriguez: \u201cWe want to help people, we want to help the youth grow and make a positive impact in their life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Damian Rodriguez and his wife opened Millennium Martial Arts Academy more than 15 years ago. It\u2019s made a positive impact on many kids over the years \u2014 but the business was born from a tragedy that struck on his way to a karate competition.<\/p>\n
Damian Rodriguez: \u201cWhen I was 13, I was involved in a car accident. I flew out of the car, I landed in the middle of Alligator Alley. I probably shouldn\u2019t be here. Why am I still here? There has to be a purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n
That purpose, he says, is helping other kids through karate.<\/p>\n
Heather Walker: \u201cHow does it make you feel?\u201d<\/p>\n
Carlos Luna: \u201cHappy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kids like Carlos Luna.<\/p>\n
Heather Walker: \u201cWhen did you start karate?\u201d<\/p>\n
Carlos Luna: \u201cA long time ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
For a 7-year-old, a few years feels like a long time. He\u2019s now a yellow belt and, according to his mom, a whole new person from when he started.<\/p>\n
Mariela Luna: \u201cIt\u2019s not just that he\u2019s less shy, it\u2019s that he\u2019s more confident. He\u2019s more independent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Carlos Luna: \u201cI got more advanced in my fighting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Damian says conquering fears on the mat teaches kids how to conquer challenges in the real world.<\/p>\n
Damian Rodriguez: \u201cThe martial arts is going to teach you the discipline, it\u2019s going to teach you the respect, it\u2019s going to teach you the time management, it\u2019s going to teach them so much, and I feel like for it not to be accessible to some kids, it\u2019s not right. It should be accessible to all kids.\u201d<\/p>\n
Which is why he started a nonprofit called Diamond, to offer free karate classes once a week.<\/p>\n
Damian Rodriguez: \u201cVia Diamond, they should be able to shine, have high integrity, they should have good values.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s important for any kid. But especially for a child who is having a hard time at home.<\/p>\n
Damian Rodriguez: \u201cFor whatever reason \u2014 divorce, lose a parent \u2014 and can no longer afford martial arts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Damian knows what loss feels like. His dad died in that car accident when he was 13, and Damian says martial arts helped him heal.<\/p>\n
Damian Rodriguez: \u201cThere\u2019s hundreds of thousands of kids in South Florida that, I think, could benefit from that opportunity, from having good quality martial arts and pressure in their life.\u201d<\/p>\n
With a little positive pressure, Damian is helping to shape the next generation of diamonds in our community. <\/p>\n
Heather Walker, 7News.<\/p>\n
For more information about Millennium Martial Arts, visit their website here<\/a>. If you or someone you know would like to apply for the Diamond program, you can sign up in person at any Millennium Martial Arts location.<\/p>\n