>>
>> ONE,
>> ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, 56. +@ >> Reporter: AT NINE ROUND
STUDIO, PEOPLE COME TO SWEAT.
TH+@EY COME FOR INSPIRATION.
FOR MOTIVATION AND LESSONS IN
REFINING DISCIPLINE.
REFINING DISCIPLINE. WHAT THEY DIDN'T EXPECT WAS TO
RECEIVE ALL OF THOSE GIFTS FROM
ONE MAN.
ONE MAN.
ONE MAN. >> I TRY TO WORK OUT EVERY DAY
AND THAT IS JUST WHO I AM.
>> Reporter: ROBERT MARTIN IS
IS THE FRANCHISE OWNER.
HE IS SO FOND OF FITNESS THAT
HE QUIT HIS CORPORATE JOB TO
FOCUS ON THIS. A RUNNER FOR
MOST OF HIS LIFE YOU COULD SAY
ROBERT IS FUELED BY HIS ABILITY
TO FREELY MOVE.
>> I HAVE DONE TRIATHLONS, SWIM
BIKE AND RUN.
I HAVE ALWAYS LIFTED WEIGHTS.
>> Reporter: WHEN HE SUDDENLY
LOST THAT FREEDOM, IT WAS A
DEVASTATING BLOW.
DEVASTATING BLOW. +@>> SEPTEMBER 18, 1998 MY EYES
WERE ROTATING COUNTERCLOCKWISE
I WAS PARALYZED ON THE LEFT
SIDE OF MY BODY AND THE RIGHT
SIDE OF MY FACE.
>> Reporter: HIS GIRLFRIEND,
JENNIFER, RUSHED HIM TO THE
HOSPITAL.
HOSPITAL.
HOSPITAL. >> HE WAS SWEATY AND DIZZY AND
HIS SPEECH WAS SLURRED.
>> Reporter: THERE WERE SIGNS
OF BLEEDING IN HIS BRAIN AND HE
SUFFERED A STROKE IN HIS
BRAINSTEM.
BRAINSTEM. >> THEY BA+@SICALLY TOLD ME THA
BRAINSTEM. >> THEY BA+@SICALLY TOLD ME THA@
I +@WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO WALK
AGAIN WITHOUT ASSISTANCE MUCH
LESS RUN.
LESS RUN.
LESS RUN. >> Reporter: RECOVERY WAS LONG,
PAINFUL, AND SCARY.
ROBERT WAS 33 YEARS OLD AT THE
TIME AND HAD THREE GOALS, TO
FULLY REGAIN+@ HIS SIGHT, TO
WALK, AND THEN TO RUN.
>> I FIGURED AFTER I GET THOSE
THREE THINGS DONE I WOULD BE
OKAY.
OKAY.
OKAY. >>
OKAY. >> Reporter: FOR SIX MONTHS
+@
>> Reporter: FOR SIX MONTHS ROBERT PUSHED HIMSELF T+@O THES
GOALS WITH HELP FROM THERAPIST
AND A VERY PATIENT JENNIFER.
THEIR RELATIONSHIP HAD ONLY
STARTED TWO MONTHS PRIOR.
STILL, SHE STAYED BY HIS SIDE
+@
+@ EVERY
+@ EVERY DAY, EVERY HOSPITAL VISIT.
>> I KNEW IN MY HEART THAT THE
RIGHT THING WAS TO STICK BY HIM.
YOU CAN'T LEAVE SOMEBODY WHEN
THEY ARE GOING THROUGH THE
HARDEST MOMENT.
HARDEST MOMENT. >> Reporter: WITH JENNIFER
SUPPORT ROBERT WAS BACK AT WORK
WITHIN SIX MONTHS.
TWO YEARS LATER HE BLEW PAST
DOCTORS EXPECTATIONS AND RAN
THE LOS ANGELES MARATHON.
>> W+@HAT HELPED ME OUT WAS THE
FACT THAT I WAS FIT AND HEALTHY@
I THINK THAT HELPED ME RECOVER
A LOT +@QUICKER.
>> Reporter: ROBER+@T STOP THER
HE KEPT RUNNING FINISHING
SEVERAL HALF MARATHONS AND
TAKING UP MARTIAL ARTS.
AND BOXING.
AND BOXING. A GOOD TRANSITION TO HELP WITH
REHAB.
REHAB.
REHAB. THAT LED HIM HERE TO NINE ROUND.
HE WORKS OUT+@ AND COACHES OTHE.
PEOPL+@E WHO AR+@E JUST GETTING
KNOW HIM AND LEARNING HIS BACK
STORY.
STORY.
STORY. >>
STORY. >> MY DAD RECENTLY HAD A STROKE
AND HE IS RECOVERING SO WE
STARTED CONNECTING.
STARTED CONNECTING. EVERY DAY I COME FOR HIM.
>> I HAVE GONE THROUGH A J+@OURY
AND I LIKE TO TELL MY MEMBERS
ABOUT MY JOURNEY AND MOTIVATE
THEM AND INSPIRE THE.
I WOULD LIKE THEM TO SEE WHAT I
H+@AVE GONE THROUGH TO KNOW THA
WHATEVER THEY ARE GOING THROUGH
IN LIFE, THEY CAN CONTI+@NUE AN
STILL WORK OUT.
>> Reporter: THIS MONTH+@ ROBER
IS CELEBRATING THREE IMPORTANT
ANNIVERSARIES, THE THREE MONTH
ANNIVERSARY OF OPENING NINE
ROUND, THE 20th ANNIVERSARY OF
HIS +@STROKE FROM WHICH+@ HE HA
ALMOST COMPLETELY RECOVERED.
>> I THINK THAT FIGHTING
MENTALITY OF NEVER GIVE UP IS
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HELPED.
AND HIS 12th WE+@DDING ANNIVERSY
TO THE WOMAN WHO STUCK BY HIS
SIDE AND STILL PLAYS A
SUPPORTIVE ROLE.
SUPPORTIVE ROLE. THE LONGER AS A GIRLFRIEND, BUT
AS A WIFE AND CO-OWNER OF THEIR
BUSINESS.
BUSINESS.
BUSINESS. IN COPPELL, I AM SONJA.
>> WHAT AN INCREDIBLE STORY OF
PERSEVERANCE.
PERSEVERANCE. >> WHAT STRUCK ME WAS JENNIFER.
>> SHELLEY KNEW HIM TWO MONTHS,
A LOT OF PEOP+@LE WOULD'VE SAID
DON'T KNOW YOU WELL ENOUGH, I
AM NOT UP FOR