b'MS Focus ActivitiesTony Garcia By Kimani HendricksTony Garcias interest in martial arts beganhospital; the spinning persisted, in addition to as a youth in the early 1970s, awakened bynumbness and diplopia. Although he promptly watching the mastery of Bruce Lee. I hadreturned to work in computer security, his never seen anyone like him before. His abilitiesdouble vision remained, proving difficult to inspired my desire to learn, said Tony.maintainefficacy. Tonysaid,Idecidedto Between his hometown of Jersey City andleave the company soon after. They offered a the neighboring West New York, N.J., Tonylong-termdisabilityprogramtostaffers.I earned a black belt in Tae Kwon Do under thethought itd be best to rest and get my bearings guidance of two instructors; during this time, hewithout attempting to juggle my health and the gave lessons to other children in his community.added pressures of employment. Although a As he grew, his abilities expanded throughhard choice, it was a necessary one. different forms of karateincluding Shotokan,Becoming a community leaderAikido, in which he holds a brown beltandAfter arriving at the acceptance of his later, Qigong. diagnosis, Tony found community and comfort While accustomed to a fast pace betweenin an MS support group. I was relieved not to his studies of martial arts and occupying afeel alone anymore, he said. They were like corporate office position, an unforeseen tripme, experiencing what I had been going to the emergency room compelled Tony tothrough; eventually, I stepped out on my own apply the brakes. One day, while at home, Iand became a leader, starting a support group stood up from my seat when suddenly, thein Secaucus, N.Y., that I would conduct for years room went into a relentless spin, he said. Ibefore moving to Orlando. While there, I formed called my godchilds mother, who took me toa second group, and a few years after that, I Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in New York.began a third in Miami following another Less than a month before, I was experiencingtransitionthis time, to south Florida.occasional numbness in the face, and a holisticNo matter where he was or who he led, Tonys chiropractor referred me to a neurologist atpassion for the fighting arts never waned, Columbia because I had an MRI which revealeddespite symptoms interfering with his training. lesions. When we arrived at the hospital, IThere was a time when I believed I couldnt could hardly walk, and after a second MRI,do it anymore, he said. But I held on because my lesions lit up like a Christmas tree. There,I felt there had to be a place for martial arts in I was diagnosed with RRMS.ajourneytoincreaseself-careandgood For the next two weeks, Tony remained in thehealth, especially with MS. Around this time, msfocusmagazine.org 30'