Courage. Integrity. Commitment. Honesty. Respect.
Those are the core values of those enshrined in Canton. But football isn't the only field to find them in.
Through its Award of Character, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in partnership with USA TODAY, honors teachers, nurses, coaches, firefighters, police officers and veterans whose impact strengthens communities and changes lives.
This month's honoree is Luis Martinez III, a veteran service officer whose simple philosophy has guided years of service to fellow veterans: protect your country when called on and protect your community always.
Luis Martinez was taken aback when he saw Hall of Famer Kevin Mawae and Brittney Payton, daughter of Pro Football Hall of Famer Walter Payton, at the Veteran's
Council facility in San Angelo, Texas.
But it quickly became clear to Martinez that the pair had conspired with his colleagues to surprise the Air Force veteran with a unique honor for a local service provider.
Mawae, who is a self-described 'military brat', whose father served 24 years in the Army, recalled a quote about service as he prepared to present Martinez with the honor.
"'You join to serve your country and then when you're done, you serve your community,'" Mawae said before handing Martinez the Pro Football Hall of Fame Award of Character.
"Welcome to the Hall of Fame."
The person veterans call when they need help
Those who know Luis describe him as someone who never stops serving.
At first glance, Martinez might appear intimidating, said Kathy Fiscus, the secretary of the All Veterans Council who nominated Martinez for the award. After all, the veteran has a burly build with a big beard and ample tattoos.
"At first glance he might seem intimidating, trust me, he's all teddy bear," Fiscus said. "He's also a person that his passion just oozes out."
Others spoke about his commitment to helping veterans at all hours of the day, questioning whether Martinez has ever taken a day off.
"Luis is a veterans veteran is what he is," said Kelly Self, commander of the Veterans of Foreign War post 1815. "He lives to serve the veteran community. He lives to serve this community."
His impact stretches far beyond what most people see.
"In the room we're in. We could probably seat 500 people in here," said Marine Sgt. Darry Cross. "We couldn't fit the people that he's impacted."
For many of the veterans he's helped, Martinez arrived at some of their lowest moments and provided support they wouldn't have otherwise received.
One veteran recalled returning home from military service and feeling disconnected from civilian life.
"When I came back, everybody at home was the same and my struggles weren't their struggles," said veteran Leandra Hernandez. "I felt like people just didn't understand what I was going through."
Hernandez said that feeling of isolation and uncertainty was terrifying, particularly because the options for help felt so limited.
Martinez changed that, she said.
"He gave me a voice. He gave me the understanding that what I'm feeling is okay. It is normal," Hernandez said. "I know I would not be here if it weren't for him."
Meeting people where they are
Martinez described his approach to helping veterans as practical and persistent.
"I'm not going to sugarcoat anything, but I'm never going to tell you no," he said.
When challenges arise, he encourages veterans to keep moving forward.
"We got to figure out a way," he said. "And sometimes it's where you got to actually pull your boots up and say, 'We got to fight this one through.'"
He tries to stay connected even after people overcome their struggles.
"I meet people in the mud," Martinez said. "And then when they get to their highest and they say, 'Hey, what can I do?' … Just turn around, help the person up behind you."
Turning personal experience into service
Martinez's work is rooted in his own transition out of the military.
"When I got out, no one helped me navigating the VA and whatnot," he said.
He described raising four children on his own while trying to learn how to navigate benefits, employment and life after service.
"But that's where came into my mind like, you know what? I'm not going to let anyone suffer like I did."
He eventually returned to school and entered social work.
"Fell in love," he said. "Been hitting the ground running ever since."
Today, much of his work centers on helping veterans understand and access benefits they have earned through military service.
"There's a lot of benefits out there," Martinez said.
Many veterans initially hesitate to pursue those benefits.
"We have a lot of veterans that say, 'Well, I don't deserve it,'" he said. "You do. You do deserve it."
A community effort
Martinez's greatest accomplishments may be summed up in one number: 0.
The San Angelo community did not lose a veteran to suicide a couple of years ago, Martinez said. The stunning accomplishment, in a country where the VA reports that more than 17 veterans die by suicide every day, came after a community initiative focused on veteran mental health and suicide prevention.
"That was a community thing," he said. "We all fought."
He encourages veterans to take the first step toward seeking help because once they do, they will realize they are still part of a broader community.
"I always tell people that first step is that hardest one," Martinez said. "You didn't serve, you didn't deploy alone, you're not going to fight alone."
What the honor means
Martinez accepted the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Award of Character with the grace and humility that friends and family have come to expect.
"We don't do it for the accolades. We don't do it for the awards. We do it because it needs to be done," he said.
Instead, he believes the most important acts of service happen when no one is watching.
"The heroic thing to do is to do something when nobody's looking and nobody knows."
Asked what he is most proud of, his answer came quickly.
"My kids. 100% my kids."
Then he offered the same advice that has shaped his life of service.
"See a need, feel a need. Don't wait. If you know something needs to be done, do it."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The veteran who refuses to let anyone face their darkest day alone
