Puerto Rico portal. Petersburg Times , Monique Fields, published December 25, Retrieved September 27, Retrieved December 27, Retrieved December 3, Retrieved November 6, Retrieved July 27, Retrieved January 9, Archived from the original on May 20, Retrieved January 14, Retrieved November 25, Retrieved November 27, Retrieved January 6, Carter, published July 19, Archived December 23, , at the Wayback Machine.

Television New Zealand. Manawatu Standard. January 21, Retrieved January 29, Retrieved December 10, November Archived from the original on September 28, Feilding Herald.

April 3, January 20, The Timaru Herald. Retrieved February 10, Retrieved December 29, Rodriguez was devastated. Without telling any family or friends, he enlisted in the Army.

His first tour was a month deployment to Baghdad. He thought about his friends who were starting college. After returning home, he spent a year in training before leaving for a month tour in northern Afghanistan.

He had just celebrated his 20th birthday. His outpost was in the mountains, "in the middle of nowhere," Rodriguez says. While he enjoyed hot meals and a gym facility in Iraq, he typically ate one meal a day in Afghanistan and lived and worked out in primitive conditions.

On Oct. Rodriguez was one of 53 Americans who battled the insurgents for more than 12 hours, continuing to fight even after he was hit with shrapnel in his leg and neck and bullet fragments in his shoulder.

Eight U. He was evacuated to a U. But Rodriguez, who achieved the rank of Sergeant during his time in the Army, chose to stay another five months to finish his tour.

He returned home in June of and had trouble readjusting. He drank too much, didn't sleep well and sulked. That August, he began taking classes at a local community college.

By his second semester, his attitude had improved. Rodriguez thought about a promise he'd made to Thompson before his friend died -- to walk on to a collegiate football team.

He finished the semester and that summer, decided to focus on football. He began following a strict diet, working out six hours a day and maintaining his grades throughout the fall of Rodriguez recorded a recruiting video for coaches, showing what type of athlete he was and why he wanted to play football.

The two met while Tapper was writing a book on the Battle of Kamdesh. He spent his Christmas break responding to the messages, many of which expressed gratitude for his inspiring story.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney had seen Rodriguez's video after a board member sent him the link. While Virginia Tech -- Rodriguez's favorite childhood collegiate team--was also pursuing Rodriguez, Clemson asked him to visit.

Las Vegas, Nevada , United States. August 22, February 15, December 19, Hollywood, California , United States.

Dana White's Contender Series February 22, Fresno, California , United States. September 28, Long Beach, California , United States. Tijuana, Baja California , Mexico.

February 17, Studio City, California , United States. December 1,