Life is uncertain, and it can change in a blink of an eye. For war veteran Carmelo Rodriguez, the moment that drastically shifted his life happened when he was wrongfully declared dead by the Veteran Affairs.
He had just returned from a combat tour in Iraq. Initially, he thought the error would not be a significant cause for concern as it had happened before where fellow soldiers were incorrectly declared dead. However, despite his efforts to prove that he was, in fact, still alive, things took a turn for the worse, and several government agencies confirmed his death. Subsequently, his death certificate was issued, which then caused him to lose all of his veteran benefits. His bank accounts were also frozen.
There is something profoundly disorienting when a person’s existence is constantly denied and invalidated by the same administrative bodies who are expected to help. Despite Carmelo being highly skilled in combat and having strong mental fortitude, this ordeal eventually took a toll on him. He found himself feeling hopeless to the point where he became a shut-in.
On the other hand, the brave soldier did not let his predicament take over his life. After fighting tooth and nail for two grueling years, he finally won. Inspired by his dilemma, he went on to write his inspiring book, Dead Soldier. It chronicles his incredible journey and the battle he went through in regaining his life.
His impressive success has opened doors and allowed him to extend his assistance to many individuals across different sectors. From there, Carmelo Rodriguez decided to dedicate his life to helping people who are in similar situations. Now he is a certified life coach and motivational speaker who helps people take their lives back. He also wrote several other books that empower other people.
He coined the term “12th hour,” which stands for the moment after the eleventh hour where it is already too late to make changes and a miracle is required. For him, that moment was when he was declared dead by government agencies. He aims to seek out individuals who have also fallen into their “12th hour” as he firmly believes in his capability to help him win, just like how he helped himself.
When asked to give an essential piece of advice, he shared, “I would like readers to see most situations that they consider to be hopeless as an actual gift in disguise because it is sometimes within the hopeless situation that the gifts of resilience and abundance house themselves. Fighting for your life means pushing through your hopeless situation until resilience and abundance reveal themselves.”
What separates him from the rest of the industry is his impressive credentials. The highly qualified individual is a crisis specialist and has various certifications in crisis management, conflict management, and negotiations. Not only that, his firsthand experience with adversity has taught him several valuable lessons that no amount of training can provide.
Ultimately, he wishes to provide help that is accessible and meaningful to more people across the globe. In the future, he hopes to travel full-time doing speaking engagements with an administrative and deployment team that supports him.
Learn more about Carmelo Rodriguez and his inspiring journey by visiting his official website.
