~With Eddie~

My dad was born Salvador Luciano in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1973, but in a gang, he was known as Sal The Hawk. Why did they call him "Sal The Hawk"? He was someone who watched everything like a hawk. In that gang, he was the boss' captain or "el capitán". He made sure production was good and everyone had a piece of what he made.

But when a rival gang killed his parents in front of him, he escaped on a boat to New York, where he managed to escape death. At the time, he was no longer scared and was living life the best he could. He had a green card, he became a US citizen, and worked at an Italian restaurant in the Bronx as a busboy.

They didn't like him at first because he spoke little English, but he proved over time that he was a hard worker, earning the respect from his co-workers and the boss.

Eventually he would run into the girl who would become his wife after a couple months into the relationship, Maria Luca.

My parents were really young when they got married, probably late teens early 20s. I mean, they were just in love. I really never got to see how much they loved each other, even though I wasn't around until July 9th, 1994.

I always loved my parents, including my father. He's always taught me how to be a man, and it's not by the gang life or drug dealers. It was about being smart in school and stay away from the street life.

My dad always spent time with me whenever he did. He was someone who was honest and true to life although he was a member of a gang in New York. The gang leader always put his guys first, my father the most. When he saw me as a three year old boy, he gave me the best advice I've ever heard.

GL: I'm not your father, but I know that this life isn't worth it for a bright kid like you. Stay off the streets, be book smart, and always put your family first.

I never forgot those words and I never took it seriously as a kid until this happened.

~May 12, 1999~

This day changed my life forever. It was 11:32 PM, and I heard some commotion outside my door. I looked outside and I saw my father, trying to work out a deal with some guys over a drug deal or something.

Guy 1: The fuck you doing man! You trying to fuck us out of a deal!

Father: Listen, it's not much, but I can get you the rest. I can promise you.

Guy 2: Fuck that, you spic!

Then, my father got very angry. He was just fighting one while trying to prove that he was a good dealer. After punching the guy in the face, one of the guys pulled out a glock 12 and shot him in the head, making him limp and it let me know he was dead.

Mom: NO!

I heard my mom yell and she ran to my father's body and cried as I joined her. It was such a horrible experience that I cried without end.

When I saw his head, I was traumatized by what I was seeing. His brains were leaking out of his head and I didn't want to look again. We spent the whole night staying where we are, standing over my father's body.

~12 Years Later~

While walking home from school, I was gonna buy some food for my mom and I's apartment. My mom had been working hard so much and I still can't believe that she's making money by selling her body to strange men.

I always hated it, but to her, it was the only way to make money after she got turned down by every business in the area. I was going to have a baby sister but thanks to a customer hurting my mom, the baby died. I really wanted a brother or sister, but I never got to have a sibling.

Before I got home, I ran into some of my dad's old friends from the life and they seemed very supportive of us. They even said after he died, they made sure they protected us in this neighborhood. My mom and I really appreciated it because after my dad got killed, we haven't felt safe because of the rival gangs in the 'hood.

I went inside and brought home some milk, frozen pizza, eggs, bacon, and some cereal for the coming weeks.

You see, my mom and I lived the best we could. We didn't have very much, but we sure did live happily. My mom always said that, "We need to stay happy, even if we don't have enough money to pay the bills." Every family isn't like that and nobody's happy when you see them. They seem miserable, like they want to die.

I was about to sit down and watch TV, but mom came in with a letter and a smile.

Mom: Look what's in here, Eddie!

She handed it to me as I opened it up, and when I read it, it told me...

Me: I got accepted to University of Florida!

We both hugged as I was just in a state of happiness. I got accepted and I managed to prove every one in the neighborhood that I worked my ass off to get to this point.

Mom: I see you bought groceries, but you and I? We're going out to eat.

Me: Mom, we barely have enough money to go out.

Mom: I know, but this is a special moment for you. Come on, let's go get some food!

I don't know how she's wanting to go out to eat after I just bought groceries, but I had to do what she said.

When it came to lunch or dinner, my mom would always make me eat everything on my plate because her father had grown up in a very strict household and he taught the family that we needed to be grateful for what we have.

In New York, I was always grateful for everything that happened to me. Whenever I wanted something to eat, my mom would cook out of love and I never gave her enough credit.

~August 12, 2011~

I made the football team for the Gators and it was going to be good. I made it to wide receiver on the team and showed how fast, agile, and strong I can be. I weighed 198lbs at the time and I wasn't that tall like I am now. I'm 5' 10" and these guys were like 6' 5" 300lbs or something and I knew I was going to get hurt sometime down the road.

During my NCAA career, I valued education more than sports because my GPA at the time was pretty good. It was a 3.2. It wasn't very high, but it showed how smart I can be in life and in school.

Not just in school, I made it to "Rookie of The Year" in 2013, showing that I could work and not give in to defeat and failures.

But one game, it ended my career and here's how...

~June 17th, 2013~

It was 21 to 13, and we were losing. I was going for a long pass in one play and when the Quarterback said "go", I ran until I was in his view. A guy on the other team was behind me and when the ball was thrown, I jumped, but I wasn't able to land on both feet because when I caught the ball and the guy tackled me the wrong way, and my right knee popped!

I was screaming in pain, and the coaches noticed what was wrong. I really was hurt I felt like it was an injury that I knew was coming, but I didn't think it would happen in my 20th game in my career. The coaches and paramedics came over and everyone was so concerned.

Every teammate from both teams took a knee and waited for the result. I stretcher came and that's when it took me off the field. I was getting checked out at the hospital and I couldn't believe what I was suffering: a torn ACL.

I'm not kidding, it actually made me cry like a baby because this injury ended my career as an NCAA wide receiver for the Florida Gators and now I have to think about other career options, but what I didn't know was that a certain wrestling company would give me a call about signing me to a developmental deal.