My father, Joe Luis, has been the biggest and most significant influence in my life. I know every boy as a little boy says that their dad is their super hero, but I’m seventeen years old now and I’m still saying it. My Mom often jokes and says that I’m just like my father and to me that’s a compliment. My friends at school sometimes ask “What’s your dad like? I’ve never actually met him”, and I respond “He’s just like me or I’m just like him, except I’m loud and obnoxious and he’s pretty quiet, but other than our volume levels we act about the same way.” My parents are divorced, so I get to see my father about every other weekend, depending on my academic and athletic schedule, but there are times where I get overwhelmed with my school work and my practices which keep me from visiting him for three or four weeks at times. Although it’s upsetting that I don’t get to see him as often as I want to, it makes the time I do spend with him more special, and that’s why he is the most influential character in my life.

My father’s personality has greatly influenced mine. He is a man who sees the good in things and always has a positive attitude even when faced with adversity. As the oldest sibling in my family, I have to set the right example for my sister and one way I do that is staying positive. One weekend my mother was going to take my sister to the zoo, but the morning before a storm blew in and it continued to rain throughout the day. My sister was so let down, so I decided that we should make the best of the situation and we built forts out of blankets and chairs and watched movies all day long. By staying positive, I was able to make an unfortunate event become a fun day. My dad is a loving man who cares more about the people around him than he does himself. He is a man who always has a smile, a smile so big and heartwarming that you just can’t help but to smile back. A man who’s work ethic is non-stop. I try and mimic his work ethic by applying it to both my schoolwork and practice. There are days where I will stay an hour after practice in order to make sure I can be the best that I can be, and weekends where instead of going out with friends, I stay at home and study for tests coming that week. I learned from him that I should work at everything that I do until I’ve completed it to the best of my ability. A huge part of my personality and the way I act comes from the influence of my dad.
My superman, Joe Martinez, taught me the things I know today. How to stay positive through adversity, how to work 110% until the job gets finished, how to care more about the men and women around you and less about myself, and how to step up to every challenge that presents itself. Although he may not have snazzy red and blue tights and he may not be faster than a speeding locomotive, nor can he leap a skyscraper in a single bound, but in my eyes he’s more than that. He’s my role model and the biggest influence on who I am today.