The story of Carlos Gutierrez is nothing short of inspiring, as he undertaking an endeavor that is difficult for most to imagine: He plans to bike 670 miles over the course of two weeks. That accomplishment is impressive on his own, let alone keeping in mind that Carlos Gutierrez is a victim of extortionists, who chopped off his feet in September of 2011. When living in Chihuahua, Mexico, Carlos Gutierrez lived with his family (wife and two young children) and owned a beverage and snack concession company. He was demanded to pay $10,000 a month to extortionists and when he failed to do so, his feet were chopped off. During that tragedy, he was also threatened that his kids would be killed.
In light of the event, Carlos Gutierrez fled to the United States. Under proper guidance, he learned to walk with the help of prosthetics and is currently training for a 670-mile bike ride (which takes two weeks) that will start in El Paso on October 28 and end in Austin on November 9. "[The criminals] took a part of my body, but I will not stay still," says Gutierrez. All this is part of his "Pedaling for Justice" endeavor, which aims to bring attention to corruption in Mexico and those who need to seek asylum in the United States. "The Mexican exile isn't someone who wants to invade the country," Gutierrez told NBC Latino in Spanish. "On the contrary, I want to show my gratitude to all of those who have helped me. I want to inspire others with the message that when one falls, one should get back up and strive to excel and move forward."
As part of his training, Carlos Gutierrez plans to train for four hours a day and to bike 50 to 55 miles a day. He is able to accomplish this due to the prosthetic legs that were donated to him by a stranger on the streets of New Mexico--the stranger owns the prosthetics clinic. "He extended his hand to me and told me he had to help me," says Gutierrez. "He is my angel and will be accompanying me in my ride." The 35-year-old also adds that he wants to resume his daily life. "It was a very painful process, but I didn't want to stay in bed - that's what gave me the strength," he adds to NBC Latino. Despite having to flee his country and learning how to walk again, Carlos Gutierrez has revealed that his biggest obstacle is learning English. "It's the language of the country, and I have to learn it," says Gutierrez to NBC Latino. "I am so grateful to all the Americans who have shown me so many methods of support."
Carlos Gutierrez is currently under the support of Mexicanos en Exilio, a non-profit which offers legal defense to Mexicans seeking political asylum in the United States. "We have 300 members, and many like [Gutierrez] are struggling to rebuild their lives after fleeing Mexico," Cipriana Jurado, a board member of Mexicanos en Exilio told the El Paso Times. "It's not easy to start over in another country that has a different language, but at least they are safe here now. Those who have work permits are trying to make ends meet by working as housekeepers and in odd jobs." Carlos Gutierrez reveals that courtesy of Mexicanos en Exilio, he and his family are secure, as he was able to get a work permit. "We live independently, but Mexicanos en Exilio helps us with moral and psychological support," says Gutierrez about himself and the others in the group. "We all have to start from scratch."
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