- December 13, 2025
Robert Fitzgerald, an Ormond Beach instructor, was recognized Jan. 24.
Robert Fitzgerald admits that he was always a little obsessed with martial arts, but he never did more than just watch the greats and dream. After an unexpected injury, he was reminded of the fragility of life, and began to make the most of his time. It was then, that he began to train.
“I was Philadelphia, in a small town where I grew up,” Fitzgerald said. “I hurt my back on the job, and I was on disability for two years. I was told that I just had to accept that my back wasn’t getting any better, so I thought I better start training before I can’t anymore.”
24 years later, Fitzgerald’s back has completely healed and is a first-degree black belt. He’s trained students Ormond Beach, but he currently works for Champion Karate in Lake Mary. Fitzgerald has also trained a few fighters in kickboxing that went into the Ultimate Fighting Championship including Zane Frazier and Herb Dean. And just this past weekend, he was inducted into the Martial Arts Hall of Honor in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
“I really have no idea how it happened,” Fitzgerald chuckled. “I was told that I built a really good reputation for myself. It was incredible to attend, and see all the different people around the world and their different martial arts styles.”
Fitzgerald was inducted by Gary Henry Amen, from the movie “The Martial Arts Kid.” He said he was honored to meet so many incredible people with equally incredible stories.
“The reoccurring theme I found was family,” Fitzgerald said. “Wherever you go, if you’re a martial artist you’ve got family.”
Besides the sense of the family, Fitzgerald teaches martial arts because he enjoys building confidence in children.
“We work with a lot of kids that are bullied,” Fitzgerald said. “It really does something to you to see a kid that can’t hold his head up and can’t look anybody in the eye, and watch him change to somebody that just loves life, and isn’t ashamed of anything they’re doing.”
Though he’s happy with his job in Lake Mary, he hopes to get back to Ormond Beach soon. He also wishes well for his instructor, Frank Trejo, who is having some medical issues. The tenth-degree senior grand master has diabetes that resulted in him losing part of his leg and one of his hands.
“He’s been like a father to me,” Fitzgerald said. “Long before I knew him, he gave everything to everybody. He was everyone’s best friend. The guy everyone calls when they need to be cheered up. When you reach his martial arts level you usually don’t pick up the phone for anybody, but he’s never turned anyone down.”
