Terry Martin
Former UFC heavyweight fighter Terry Martin had a rough childhood and found himself running with a gang in the west-side of Chicago by the tender age of 10.
That’s a lifestyle that few people emerge from unscathed, and in Martin’s case it resulted in a near-death experience at the age of 15 when he became a victim in a drive-by shooting incident that left him with five bullet wounds to his back, legs and chest.
Against the odds Martin survived and while recovering in hospital he realized just how lucky he had been as he saw others around him who had suffered similar injuries, but come away with far more life-altering consequences than he had.
As a result, Martin vowed to turn his life around and did so in impressive fashion, going on to earn a bachelor’s degree and doctorate in psychology, while also becoming a pro-MMA fighter and compiling a 23-12 record.
