"This is a 1963 Chevy C10 Fleetside long-bed truck. It has a Corvette 350 cubic inch engine. I've had it for a couple of years. I also have a Mazda II which I call my "gopher" vehicle. I've driven it over a wide range of areas in the US and also in Canada. The car is so nimble and agile that I decided to sign up for SCCA, Sports Car Club of America. They support autocross racing. I entered my Mazda but when people saw it they said, 'Oh that little car won't do anything.' But I showed them. I ended up coming in 2nd in the nationals for my class.
"That race goes along with my career and what I've been told all my life. I'm not a big guy, only 5 feet 5 inches. I've always been told that I can't do that, you're too small, you're not strong enough. People have always underestimated me. My response has always been, 'Well, I'll show you.'
"One�I was told I couldn't join the military because I was too small. So I joined the navy right after 9/11.
"Two�While I was in the navy, I tried to join the Crash and Salvage program, which deals with fires on an aircraft carrier. I was told, 'No', I was too little. Well, again, I'll show you. In 2008, I joined the Fire Academy. From there I became a fire fighter.
"Three�Once again people told me 'You can't do that, you're too little.' Well guess what? Now I'm an engineer for Edward's Fire Department and I drive the fire trucks.
"Four�Now, I'm going back to college to get my degree in Fire Science and Safety Risk Management because some day I want to be a fire chief and I'll need that degree."
~Ramon
0 comments:
Post a Comment