Professor Marlon Colorado, Rocian Gracie Jr. BJJ Black Belt
I have loved martial arts for as long as I can remember. I started training in Judo at my after-school program when I was eight.
When I was ten years old, my uncle, Julian Colorado, started teaching me boxing on a sandbag in the basement of the building where we lived. At the same time, I was training in Taekwondo in a program called The Dome project in Manhattan.
Humble Beginnings
By the time I was 14 years old, I was already enrolled in a boxing gym in Manhattan, Times square Boxing. I remember being in the ring and being overwhelmed with joy and excitement to fight older fighters than me. With the encouragement of my trainer Mr. Darrell, who pushed me hard every day, I could get better each day.
Not only did I fight in the gym but also in the streets of NYC against many people, so I just wanted to test myself. I never started any fights; I was sure to end them. I was a skinny kid, and I was tested a lot. Because of that, I moved away from martial arts and started weightlifting.
After a few years, I went from weighing 135 pounds to 220 pounds, squatting 495 pounds, and bench pressing 315 pounds. I was so proud of that accomplishment. After that, life happened; I got married and had two beautiful kids. When my kids were around 6 and 7 years old, I decided to look for a martial arts program; that’s when we all started training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and I haven’t stopped. It’s now 2018, and I hold a black belt from Rocian Gracie, Jr. Academy.
Best accomplishments
My Best achievements haven’t been fighting, winning a tournament, or beating any odds. In life, It was saving lives; the first life was a lady whose vehicle flipped over on the expressway. I was the second car behind the accident; I ran to the car that was upside down, tried to kick the window, and watched the woman inside the car scream smoke inside the vehicle.
I told the lady to get her foot off the accelerator, and I managed to brake the rear passenger window; I crawled inside the vehicle and released her seat belt, and got her out safely to the curbside. The car caught on fire, ambulance and fire department arrived.
The lady was very thankful, I later met with her husband, and they invited my family and me to a BBQ. She said that not one single cut from either of us and thanked God for sending an angel to her rescue. I had to act quickly and swiftly; that day, I was coming home from BJJ and decided to take the highway; God works in mysterious ways…
Later in life, one early afternoon on a Saturday traveling between Roosevelt ave and 37th ave in Jackson heights on 82nd st. I noticed people screaming right next to me; this kid, about 12 years old, with glasses, was traveling on his bike.
Somehow the city bus back tires ran him over on his right leg; the cycle entangled with the tire and almost amputated the kid’s leg; he looked up at me and said, “please don’t tell my mother” he looked in shock; I immediately took out my belt and tied his upper thigh hard with the belt stopping the bleeding, then called the ambulance and waited with him keeping him calm and relaxed until they arrived, his leg looked horrible you can see all of his bones sticking out.
The flesh on one side, I had to put a shirt over the portion to cover it so the kid wouldn’t see it; people that kept on getting so close, I had to tell them to back up and let him breathe. The ambulance made it and took him to the hospital. His sister also made it to the scene and later thanked me.
Calling
The last good deed came on a busy junction blvd in Queens, NY. I was already a black belt; late afternoon, I was on the other side of the blvd, and I watched three women fighting with a thief that was trying to take merchandise from their store; they all grabbed him but couldn’t stop him, then I noticed a pregnant woman on the floor being dragged and she was holding on to his bag.
Once he got desperate and pushed the rest of the women and took a swing at the pregnant woman on the floor, he didn’t realize that I was straight behind him and stopped the blow.
I took him down, put my knee on his belly, and warned him what would happen if he tried anything stupid, the other woman came to the aid of the pregnant lady, and I asked them if they were ok. he gave up.
I stood him up and waited for the authorities to arrive; all of the women, including the husband, thanked me; I felt it was the right thing to do. I am not a superhero by any means, but I have a quick reaction, and in these cases, I happen to be there at the right time for those who may need my help; I never really talk about it to anyone.
I know there’s a higher power up there, and he’s watching; I don’t need to be a hero. If I influenced or helped anyone in my life journey, it’s an accomplishment in my book; there are many ways to feel accomplished receiving a diploma, graduating, or a black belt in BJJ.
Still, the sense of accomplishment for me and what I think in saving someone’s life is far more than what I expected; I leave it in God’s hands to Judge me in my life.
I will continue doing and following my ten commandments and make sure I do well in this World if I have the chance to save someone’s life. I am capable of doing it. Then rest sure ill be there!
