Sharing care: Cindy's story
Cindy is a veteran, wife, mother and survivor of necrotizing fasciitis—a flesh- eating bacteria that cost her both her legs and her right arm. Determined not to let life stand in her way, she achieved her goal of finishing the Marine Corps Marathon.
Transcript
CINDY MARTINEZ: I was in the Marines and I served four years. When anyone goes through any type of military training,
you're trained to be able to overcome something big. And I really want to be a positive influence
for my children. And so I think that did help me in my journey here.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
I had several emergency surgeries to save my life, basically. They ended up having to amputate my legs both below the knee,
my right arm above the elbow, and parts of my fingers on my left hand. DAVID MARTINEZ: She was fighting for her life. For the first few days, probably about a week,
I didn't know what to expect minute by minute. It's a pretty intense feeling. I mean, your limbs are gone.
They're gone and they're not coming back. I always knew I would walk again with prosthetics.
It's just I didn't know when.
DAVID MARTINEZ: She fought through. She was able to survive and she hasn't stopped.
CINDY MARTINEZ: It's basically that determination not to give up.
The Marine Corps Marathon is the people's marathon. Obviously there's a lot of Marines that participate in it. So it makes it extra special for me,
being that I was also in the Marines.
When I was passing the tunnel, they started doing the National Anthem and you just start thinking about everything
that I've been through. I was excited and just ready to experience something like this.
It was impressive to see how many people were in the crowd. There was several people holding an American flag and pictures
of the fallen soldiers and Marines. And there's one specific thing I remember was an older man holding a flag and he saluted me.
I haven't done anything compared to the men and women who have lost their lives, but for him to still salute me,
that's emotional for me.
When I got my running prosthetics, I figured it would be a good opportunity to try them out and just show even new amputees even if I
didn't run the entire marathon, here's a baby steps of the beginning of something new for me. And it's awesome to experience that with my husband.
He's never done anything like this as well. And he was just there to encourage me the entire way like he has the entire time we've been married.
DAVID MARTINEZ: One of the reasons why I married her is because she's tough and she's a great woman, great wife, great mother.
And I know that she'll be able to do it. I'm going to finish the race.
I hope that people realize that even though they go through a traumatic experience, no matter what it is, it doesn't have
to be a physical disability like mine, it can be something mental, something they've seen, just anything, life still goes on.
If you still feel healthy now, you can still get out there and be active, and you'll be surprised on how people respond when
they see you being so positive. It's a great thing, and I just try to make the best out of my situation.
infections
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