(ABILENE, TX)- One local high school student gives a new meaning to the term ‘never give up.’

Copper High Senior Joseph Salinas is not your average teen.

In 2009, he had a seizure and stroke that left him in the hospital for months, but he wasn’t about to give up.

His doctors weren’t sure if he would ever be able to walk again, but he proved everyone wrong after 8 months of working out at the “D 1 Training Facility”

He signed up for one of the most challenging obstacle courses, the Spartan Race.

KRBC spoke with Joseph and his trainer, who talks about the determination the young man has, and his passion for life. 

“He couldn’t get out of a chair by himself, now he does everything,  you know. Its a confidence builder just ,you know, it helps me… it makes my day every time he’s here, it sure helps when I hear other people whine I’m like ‘yea right’. Let me show you somebody, real quick, that’s happy as a lark and never has a bad day in his life,” says David Hess, Joseph’s trainer.

Joseph competed in Austin on Sunday, with his trainer David, and about 20 of his fans traveled to show him support.