West Palm Beach – After surviving a gunshot wound to the head during a New Year’s celebration in North Palm Beach, 24‑year‑old Andrew Martins has set his sights on a remarkable charitable challenge. He plans to run more than 100 miles around Lake Okeechobee next month, with the goal of raising money and awareness for Urban Youth Impact, a nonprofit private school that provides free education, counseling and after‑school care to inner‑city youth in West Palm Beach.
From a Near‑Fatal Incident to a Mission of Service
Martins, originally from New Jersey, moved to West Palm Beach in 2025. He says the night of December 31 2025 began like any other celebration, but moments after the clock struck midnight he felt a sudden, hot flash and heard a gunshot. “I was in a moment of solitude, just existing, when I felt that flash,” he recalled. He discovered a bullet hole in his hat and quickly realized he had been shot in the head.
First responders found a perfectly sized bullet hole in his hat and a bullet nearby, concluding the wound was likely the result of celebratory gunfire, though they could not confirm the source. Martins was rushed to a hospital where doctors stitched five staples into his scalp; no surgery was required. He attributes his survival to the angle of his head at the moment of impact, saying, “If I had been looking straight up, it would have gone right through my head. The way my body was positioned allowed it to be clean and divine.”
A Personal Commitment to the Community
Having lived on the same road as Urban Youth Impact, Martins says the school has always been a part of his daily life. “It felt like ultimate foreshadowing,” he said, noting that the incident reinforced his sense of purpose. The school, which offers free academic programs, counseling and after‑school care, serves families who otherwise could not afford private education.
Martins intends the run to be a “vehicle for something greater than myself.” He estimates the 100‑plus‑mile circuit could take between 28 and 35 hours, but he and his friends plan to take it at a measured pace, emphasizing the journey over speed. “I wanted to be a light for the work the school is doing,” he explained.
How to Support the Effort
Donations can be made through the Urban Youth Impact website or via the Perimeter Project’s site. Organizers hope the run will not only generate funds but also draw broader community attention to the school’s mission of providing a safe, nurturing environment for children in need.
Martins says he feels “alive, blessed and well” after his recovery and views the upcoming run as a testament to resilience and faith. “It felt like a duty to do something,” he added, underscoring his commitment to serve the community that welcomed him.
Community Impact
Urban Youth Impact’s programs are designed to strengthen families, offering academic support, mentorship and extracurricular activities at no cost. By highlighting the school through this ambitious endurance event, Martins hopes to inspire other residents to support local initiatives that uplift children and families.
For updates on the run and ways to contribute, visit UrbanYouthImpact.com or the Perimeter Project’s website.
Original reporting: WPBF (Treasure Coast / Hearst) — read the source article.
