CityView Magazine

CityViewNC.com | 45 A native of New Jersey, Castro was raised in Puerto Rico by Puerto Rican parents before joining the military in 1988. Growing up, he recalled, he was "a chubby little kid." at's in sharp contrast to the lean, well- chiseled athlete who has completed a variety of derring-do accomplishments that most people with perfect vision would never attempt. He approaches these goals as challenges – a blind man determined to find purpose in tackling what first appears to be insurmountable odds. In 2013, Prince Harry – the member of the British royal family – joined him on the trip to the South Pole. Four years later, Prince Harry supported Castro and fellow injured Iraq veteran Karl Hinett as they trained for back-to- back marathons in Boston and London. e prince's main focus was to de- stigmatize mental health, especially in the military, with his royal foundation Heads Together. Castro also has gone on to co-author a book about his experiences "Fighting Blind: A Green Beret's Story of Extraordinary Courage," and to serve as an inspiration to others with his motivational speaking. "Just do it," Castro told the students at Methodist University's 2019 winter commencement. "at's the Nike slogan, for those of you who may be too young. But there is a word missing. Just do it now. Time is one thing we have no control of. We cannot stop, pause or rewind our time. Life is short, so do not waste your time. ink of how you want to be remembered and what you want to give to the world and work toward achieving it." "I am grateful I accomplished many things," Castro said, "but let's not forget – I've done all these things, but it has been an army of people who have helped me. I've gained a lot of experience. Accomplished a lot of things and made a lot of mistakes. More than anything, I want to share my mistakes with others. "I do enjoy inspiring, motivating people." Matos was reminded of the significance of Castro's determination and resilience during that Mexico-Canada trek. "People are looking for super-heroes," she said. "And Ivan is a live super-hero." Kim Hasty contributed to this story Let There Be Light & Faith Leaders COMING IN APRIL PLUS Fayetteville: Hub of Baseball

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