Guest Blog
“Life is not about how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get back up.”
I started out life from the bottom looking up. I was frequently beaten with a horse whip by my father. To kill the pain I started drinking at 8 years old. I started playing football as an avenue to release my rage. This catapulted me to local stardom on the gridiron. I became so good I was recruited by many major college football programs, the only thing holding me back was my grades and my SAT scores. I signed with the local college and was immediately declared ineligible. I transferred to Sac City Jr. college and achieved “All State” status as a starting split end.
I went to UNLV, the University of Nevada Las Vegas, on a recruiting trip and was offered a scholarship. Three days later I got hit by a car traveling 55-70 mph as a pedestrian. The car never stopped. I laid dead in the street, to be revived and life flighted. I suffered 18 major injuries including losing half my left calf. I was told I would never play again.
I underwent a major rehabilitation undertaking and was back on the field in five months. This was history! Since I was damaged goods no major colleges were interested in me anymore. I hung out and partied for a year and started selling cars. I quickly got addicted to cocaine and thought I had found the miracle drug. In my fourth month I came across a customer named Pastor Doug Bird. He bought a vehicle from me and spent 2 hours ministering to me.
I was lost and it fell on deaf ears. I became a machine and dominated in the local car business reaching management in record time. This was the life I lived until 2008. My wife left me and I now have almost 6 years sobriety. I got involved in Alumni football and learned that the director of the league went to church with Pastor Doug Bird. I received an email invitation to church on November 1st 2009. I went and gave my life to Christ that day. I since have written a book entitled “Correcting a Wreckless Life;” I appeared on TV, radio, in the newspaper, and on the 700 Club. I now minister to the lost that are dealing with some of my same past issues that I have overcome thru Christ. In 2014 I signed with award-winning producer Michael Shortt to bring my story to the big screen. Praise God!
Joey Ortiz
