Ben Kunzle, a paralyzed Jiu-Jitsu athlete, has been promoted to the rank of black belt by his coach Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu!
This achievement marks a significant milestone in Kunzle’s life, as it transcends the challenges he faced following a severe spinal cord injury in May 2022.
Kunzle shared his thoughts in a social media post:
This isn’t the Black Belt journey that I had always imagined, but it’s the one life chose for me.
From when I started Jiu-jitsu at 11 years old, I always knew that I would be a black belt.
It was never a question of if but more of a question of when.I always saw myself being a high-level, black belt competitor, representing my team and my country all around the world but life had different plans.
I see today that I was put on this earth to show the world that no matter what happens to you. Life is still beautiful and there is still so much to live for.To me, this black belt represents more than just a black belt in the sport but a black belt in life.
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Kunzle, a former high-level brown belt competitor, was on a clear path to elite black belt status before his life took an unexpected turn.
The injury left him paralyzed in both upper and lower extremities…
However, his indomitable spirit and love for the sport kept him deeply involved in the Jiu-Jitsu community.
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