How big is this Holiday Season to you? How rewarding is it just to be alive right now?
Every day since I came out of my second surgery has been a holiday to me. I love every day that I have now. I don’t sweat small stuff anymore. I hear people fussing about stuff like politics and the economy. That stuff doesn’t faze me anymore. I am so happy to be able to watch my kids open Christmas presents and the fact that I am going to be around to watch them grow up just makes me ecstatic.

Tell us what exactly happened to you and when it happened.
I was invited to be on the fight card on September 5th in Iraq. This was a morale boost event for the troops. I was having a great training camp for this fight. My problems began exactly 7 days before we were schedules to fly out for Iraq. After a sparring session one night I started getting really bad headaches. The headaches continued for three days. Then on the third day I had a couple of spells where I couldn’t talk. I thought maybe my sodium was low or I was dehydrated due to the fact that I was cutting weight. Later that day I had a seizure and was rushed to the local hospital. While in the emergency room I had a second seizure and was rushed to Savannah Memorial in Savannah, Georgia. After a couple of CT scans, it was discovered that I had a very large bleed on my brain. I spent four days in Nuero ICU and was released. This part still puzzles me. The next seven days I sat at my home and got worse and worse. Finally after I couldn’t take the pain anymore, my wife took me to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida for a second opinion. After being in the emergency room there for less than 15 minutes I was taken for an emergency CT scan. Then I was rushed back to the operating room for emergency surgery. The left half of my skull was removed and the bleed was stopped.  My skull was reattached and I was sent home with 68 staples and the thought that I was on the road to recovery. However, once I got home I continually got worse. I was home for about two weeks and constantly had a high fever and still had spells where I couldn’t talk. I couldn’t remember people’s names or faces sometimes. I was taken back to the Mayo Clinic and I had two CT scans, MRI, EEG and a spinal tap before being told that I had a large infection inside my skull. The surgeon explained to me that while my skull was off during my first surgery that a very aggressive bacteria had found it’s way inside my skull.  So, I underwent a second surgery that day to remove the bacteria. The doctors were able to remove the bacteria . . .however, they could not save my skull. I lost the left half of my skull. Right now I have a piece of mesh protecting my brain. I spent 11 days in the hospital and again came home with more than 60 staples in my head. This time however I was actually on the road to recovery. I am feeling much better now. The amazing thing is that I did not lose a single motor skill during all of this.

What has the recovery been like for you?
Very slow. The worst part is that I cannot train until I get my titanium plate in on January 6th. After I completely heal from that surgery I can train again, just no boxing or kicking.  I have gained 30 pounds since I had my first seizure. I can’t wait to roll again. I miss the grappling the most.

You’ve been an active fighter for years, but what all have you done in regards to MMA? Fighter, trainer, manager, promoter, etc?
I had my first fight in August 2004. I have had 21 mma fights, competed in numerous grappling tournaments, started my own gym where I trained adult fighters as well as several kids. I also promoted 6 mma events here in South Georgia. I did all the match making in all my events. I was also doing a women’s fitness class at the time I was hurt. All of this while supervising 140 people at the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office and raising three kids.

What do you feel is the best thing you’ve accomplished in your career in MMA?
Without a doubt the best thing that I have to show from my fight career is all of the friends that I made. I will have them forever. My greatest accomplishment would probably be the fact that I fought in the WEC. Coming from an area where there were no mma gyms anywhere around, I trained myself for my first 5 fights. I ordered jiu jitsu instructional dvds off the internet and would watch the dvd and then practice the moves. Considering all of the obstacles in my way and the fact that I didn’t start training until I was 32 years old, I feel that I accomplished a great deal by making it to the WEC. I had a 6 fight contract with the WEC until they dropped all of their heavier weight classes.

What’s it like to know that you’ll never fight again?
It sucks! I mean fighting was not just a hobby for me. It was a passion. I have been in a state of depression lately. It’s hard to put into words, but it sucks really bad because I didn’t go out on my terms. It was snatched out from underneath me like a cheap rug.

Did your job cover all of your medical needs?
I have medical insurance with my job, so it paid for a majority of the hospital bills. However, that is just a part of it. I never thought about all of the extra expenses that come with this type of injury. My wife missed a ton of work to be with me. The hotel bills for her and my parents to be down there with me. Plus food, medicine, etc. It has certainly been a costly experience. However, If I didn’t have insurance I would be in real trouble. Also, a lot of my friends stepped up and helped out. It really let’s you see who is there for you when you need them.

Matthew Waller spearheaded a donation service for you and your family. How much did that help?
It helped a ton. The mma community really stepped up and helped out. When I got out of the hospital I read the thread on the underground where everyone was talking about helping me. I literally sat at my computer and cried. Matthew Waller is an example of a friend that I would have never met without my fighting career. He will be one of my best friends forever. He is like family to me now.

What does the future hold for you? Are you totally recovered?
I have one last surgery scheduled for January 6th. I am not sure how long it will be until I fully recover. I know there is no way I will ever fight again. My goal is to be able to compete in grappling tournaments again one day. I will not know if this is going to be possible until after this surgery. Once I heal, I will weigh my options and make a decision then. Of course I will continue my job. I am currently a major with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office. I may get back into training fighters and promoting fights. I just haven’t decided yet if my heart is really in that.

Do you ever plan on fighting again? Training again? Promoting again?
I guess I answered this question in my last answer. I am just going to have to wait and see about the promoting or training. Fighting is a big no.

How has this effected your daily life?
It turned it upside down! I had to shut my gym down. I can’t train. I went from training 5 hours a day to nothing. I couldn’t watch fights on television for about 3 months. I miss it so bad that it killed me to watch it on television. Fighting was such a huge part of my life, it is like a family member died when this happened.

Talk about your family. Do you have a wife and kids? How has this effected them?
My wife’s name is Georgia. She supported me fighting 100%.  I was constantly on the road, either fighting or training and she never said a word. I have three kids, Ariel 11, Lani 8 and Sam 6. Ariel has actually competed in a couple of grappling tournaments.

Anything you’d like to say in closing?
Thanks to everyone who donated to my recovery fund. It is greatly appreciated. I think that I had a decent career. I hate like hell that it ended the way it did. I will always be involved with the sport somehow. I think I am going to apply to be a referee after I get my plate in my head. So, you will be seeing me in the cage again in some capacity. Maybe I won’t get excited and leg kick one of the fighters.