Triple-Amputee Army Veteran Rides Wave of Freedom, Gratitude in La Jolla

Jose Martinez says the minute ocean water touches his body, it’s like nothing else matters.

“There’s no pain. There’s no mental struggles. It’s just me and the wave,” he said Saturday at La Jolla Shores after he qualified for the finals in his prone surfing class.

Martinez knows pain. And his struggles are legend.

Eight years ago this month, the Army veteran was on foot patrol in Kandahar, Afghanistan, when the blast from a 60-pound IED severed both his legs, right arm, a finger on his left hand and some internal organs.

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Ethan Jolosa, a para-surfer from Wales cheers for a compatriot competing in Ampsurf 2020 ISA World Para Surfing Championship at La Jolla Shores. Photo by Chris Stone

Leg braces are set aside as a para-surfer competitor finds freedom in the surf. Photo by Chris Stone

Alcino Neto of Brazil is carried by compatriots after winning the kneel surfing category in the Ampsurf 2020 ISA World Para Surfing Championship at La Jolla Shores. Photo by Chris Stone

Costa Rica teammates celebrate a good performance in the Ampsurf 2020 ISA World Para Surfing Championship at La Jolla Shores. Photo by Chris Stone

Apple Valley’s Jose Martinez (right) and Buster Kawasaki of Hawaii embrace after finishing their semifinal heat at the Ampsurf 2020 ISA World Para Surfing Championship at La Jolla Shores. Photo by Chris Stone

Aitor Francesena of Spain celebrates after winning in the visually impaired category at the Ampsurf 2020 ISA World Para Surfing Championship at La Jolla Shores. Photo by Chris Stone

A visually impaired surfer from Costa Rica conquered numerous waves in his class. Photo by Chris Stone

Aitor Francesena of Spain celebrates with his caddy Lukas Garcia after winning in the visually impaired category at the Ampsurf 2020 ISA World Para Surfing Championship at La Jolla Shores. Photo by Chris Stone

Aitor Francesena or Spain celebrates with his caddy Lukas Garcia after winning in the visually impaired category at the Ampsurf 2020 ISA World Para Surfing Championship at La Jolla Shores. Photo by Chris Stone

Jose Martinez, representing USA, celebrates after he advances to the prone 2 class final. Photo by Chris Stone

Aitor Francesena, a visually impaired surfer from Spain, captures the win in his category. Photo by Chris Stone

Alcino Neto of Brazil turns on a wave in the kneel category of the Ampsurf 2020 ISA World Para Surfing Championship at La Jolla Shores. Photo by Chris Stone

Alcino Neto of Brazil receives congratulations from compatriots after winning the kneel surfing category in the Ampsurf 2020 ISA World Para Surfing Championship at La Jolla Shores. Photo by Chris Stone

Alcino Neto of Brazil is carried by compatriots after winning the kneel surfing class in the Ampsurf 2020 ISA World Para Surfing Championship at La Shores. Photo by Chris Stone

Alana Nichols, representing the U.S., shows off her skill in the waveski invitational class. Photo by Chris Stone

More than 40 participants in the surfing competition were women. Photo by Chris Stone

Melissa Reid of England celebrates with compatriots after winning the visually impaired division. Photo by Chris Stone

A para-surfer is seen through a transparent interview backdrop. Photo by Chris Stone

While para-surfers are carried by waves, wheelchairs can wait. Photo by Chris Stone

Llywelyn “Sponge” William, a para-surfer from Wales, is guided out to the waves at La Jolla Shores. Photo by Chris Stone

Noemi Alvarez of Chili competes in the kneel division of the world championship. Photo by Chris Stone

Victoria Feige of Canada is ferried by compatriots after she won the kneel division. Photo by Chris Stone

Two surfers share the same wave as they compete in the Ampsurf 2020 ISA World Para Surfing Championship at La Jolla Shores. Photo by Chris Stone

Buster Kawasaki of Hawaii competed in the prone 2 division in La Jolla. Photo by Chris Stone

After 10 days in a coma, he woke up.

In 2014 at Balboa Naval Medical Center, Martinez was introduced to surfing. He became the first triple amputee hip disarticulate in the sport.

On Saturday, his latest competition was the AmpSurf ISA World Para Surfing Championship, where he joined 130-plus entrants (more than 40 of them women) seeking 16 world titles.

“We made it to the finals,” he said of his U.S. team. “It looks like two Americans are in the finals, and two Brazilians…. It looks like we’re in a dogfight to the end.”

Spain won the overall team crown Saturday, though, as competition concluded a day early to avoid predicted heavy rains Sunday.

For “newcomer” Martinez of Apple Valley, the sport was the prize.

“It means everything for me,” he said. “Without this sport, I wouldn’t be able to find the happiness that I have now. I wouldn’t have the smile that I have. This has opened up so many avenues and opportunities for me to continue on with my own personal life… It has opened my eyes to the beauty of what we still have here.”

Also happy to be wave-riding was Faith Lennox, a 12-year-old from Maui without a left hand and forearm — amputated when she was 9 months old due to an injury at birth.

“My dad made me surf,” she said with a laugh. “I saw him surfing, and I’m like: Man, I want to go surf.”

She also competed last July at the Nissan Super Girl Surf Pro at Oceanside Pier where her hero competed — Bethany Hamilton who at 13 lost an arm to a shark attack.

Hamilton “is such an inspiration,” said Faith, who won a silver medal Saturday. “She’s a role model. Yeah, I met her a few times.”

Since Wednesday, surfers from 21 nations have shown their skills at the event considered the largest contest for surfers with physical challenges. (Italy didn’t come, and Portugal pulled out early because of virus fears.)

Faith and Martinez didn’t win crowns (see winners below), but they displayed world-class attitudes.

On his Instagram bio, Martinez says: “When life hands you lemons, make beef stew.”

After his ride, he described the sensation: “Free. I feel so free.”

And: “I just want to thank every single person that’s out here supporting us — not just me specifically — but the sport. We couldn’t do this without your support.”