Born in Fall River, Massachusetts to immigrant parents from São Miguel in the Azores, Portugal, I was raised at the crossroads of Portuguese culture and the American dream. Portuguese was my first language; I learned English through school-and reruns of the Adam West Batman series.
Drawn early to physical discipline and adrenaline, I gravitated toward extreme sports like surfing and skateboarding, spending my off-hours either skating, in the gym, or training in the dojo. Everything clicked after witnessing a live stunt show in Orlando. I packed my bags, moved to Florida, and committed to pursuing a career as a stuntman, starting where I believed the foundation was strongest: theme parks.
T...