I first saw Rudy Reyes in Generation Kill. I was amazed at how strong he was and how important his health and physical strength was to him as a soldier. From his website, I learned just how amazing his accomplishments really were. He was born in 1971 and at the age of 2 was required to wear metal leg braces and corrective shoes. But that did not stop Rudy from climbing trees and doing handstands like the other kids. When he was 3, he saw Bruce Lee in the movie "Enter the Dragon". From that moment, Bruce Lee became Rudy's "hero". The lifelong love of martial arts started very young for Rudy. 

His young life was not idyllic by any means. At age 13 he wound up in the Omaha Home for Boys. Despite all the adversity, Rudy still persevered. In 1998 Rudy entered the US Marine Corps. His spirit still was strong and endured a rigorous selection process and earned the title of Recon Marine, the elite of the Marine Corps Special Ops. In his first tour of duty in Iraq, Rolling Stones embedded a reporter- Evan Wright to follow Rudy's battalion. This was the basis for the book by Wright "Generation Kill". 

In 2007, HBO cast Rudy to play himself in Generation Kill. This was the start to Rudy's acting career. He continues to help out veterans and never ceases to amaze me as a fan. He has a new book that will be released on October 6, 2009. The book "Hero Living: Seven Strides to Awaken Your Infinite Power". An autographed copy is also available on his website along with clothing and fitness gear. 

I'm looking forward to reading Reyes' book. It was great to see how his life after "Generation Kill" is one that still involves helping others.