Arturo Martinez re-opens gym, looks ahead after brutal home invasion
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Just months after surviving a brutal home invasion, Arturo Martinez reopens his family's gym. Video by ktnv.com
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Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) -- Months after surviving a brutal home invasion that claimed the life of his wife and daughter, Arturo Martinez is moving forward, re-opening his family's boxing gym for the first time since the attack.
It was also the first time they’d be celebrating his daughter’s birthday without her, but despite the tragic reminder, Saturday was a good day for the Martinez family.
It was just 3 months ago when Arturo woke up in his home and found it covered in blood, his wife, Yadira, and Karla, were dead, and Arturo’s head had been so badly bludgeoned that he couldn't even operate the phone to call 911.
Arturo is still working on rehabilitating his speech, and bears the physical scars of the claw hammer beating that could have killed him, but Saturday he addressed the crowd at Real KO Boxing and humbly suggested he was ready to get back to business.
“It's for you, it's not for me,” said Martinez. “It's for you guys, I am just a trainer.”
Karla and Yadira were remembered in pictures displayed throughout the gym, and although they weren't there in person, Arturo said it felt as though they were.
“I believe in them because they're just right below god,” Martinez said.
It was Karla who thought of the motto painted on the gym's wall, “We grow champions, and although she won't be here to celebrate another birthday, her father hopes to continue growing champions for years to come.
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