Fortis X Fuerte was built on the belief that strength isn't something you're born with — it's something you build. This brand is rooted in my own life, and in the example set by my parents, who came from humble beginnings and carried a lot of responsibility early on. Through their hard work and sacrifice, they built something better for our family, and they showed me what real strength looks like.
My own path took longer to get there. For over twenty years, I struggled with alcohol. After many attempts to change, I reached a point where I nearly lost my life — but I was given a second chance, and that changed the direction of everything. I decided that surviving wasn't enough. I wanted to build something meaningful with the time I had been given. In the years that followed, I rebuilt myself step by step: I worked on my health, I challenged myself in new ways, and I focused on becoming someone my family, friends and I could be proud of.
Fortis and Fuerte both mean strength. To me, that strength was never about being perfect or never falling. It's about what you do afterward. It's about continuing forward. I used to call what I was chasing goals. Now I call them checkpoints, because every milestone is proof of progress, not a finish line. Fortis X Fuerte is one of those checkpoints. And there are many more ahead.