Hospital administrator masters the balance of living well


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PANGUITCH — In this small central Utah town, Alberto Vasquez goes about his daily rounds at Garfield County Memorial Hospital.

“As a hospital administrator at an Intermountain facility, our focus is to help people live healthier lives,” he said.

Those are words Vasquez has lived by since he can remember. Vasquez is one of 15 children. One of his fondest memories includes his father taking him to see Bruce Lee movies. “I just remember falling in love with karate as a kid,” he said.

It’s those memories that sparked a passion, 33 years in the making.

Hung proudly on Vasquez’s wall at home are seven certificates, each awarding a different degree in black belt. In 1982 he signed up for karate as a P.E. class while attending BYU and just last November, in front of his family, friends and peers, he earned his seventh degree black belt and the title of Master Vasquez.

“Black belt is not something you earn but something you become. It’s not just about the moves and the kicking and punching. It’s more about finding a balance in your life,” he said.

He finds that balance in his work and after hours teaching a karate class in his small community once a week. “It helps me with stress, and I love not only doing it but I love teaching it," he said.

Vasquez says karate is an activity everyone can do.

“They don’t have to worry about, 'I’m not the tallest, I’m not the fastest,' they all get to participate. It’s all about being active and enjoying themselves,” he said.

Besides karate, Vasquez exercises on a regular basis to keep himself fit. “I don’t want to be an older person who can’t do things," he said. "So I’m going to continue to exercise, continue to be healthy. I want to live well.”

He has four children who all practice karate, including his wife who also has earned her black belt.

What's next for Vasquez? “I still have more things to learn in karate. They say a learning journey never ends and it hasn’t ended yet,” he said.

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