Neo Trujillo sees the results of poor well being in his work as a bodily therapist. After years of engaged on serving to individuals by means of circumstances attributable to not taking good care of themselves, Trujillo wished to do one thing to forestall it.
His objective materialized as Guazo Health Plus, a brand new gymnasium in Hickory that Trujillo opened in April together with his spouse, Laura. By way of Guazo Health, Trujillo hopes to assist forestall individuals from getting circumstances like diabetes, osteoporosis and arthritis later in life.
“I’ve seen quite a lot of points in individuals in the neighborhood,” he stated. “I wished to do extra to forestall them, as an alternative of deal with them.”
Guazo Health is on U.S. Freeway 70 Southwest, within the Midland Plaza purchasing heart. Trujillo hopes the situation makes for straightforward entry in an space the place there aren’t many health choices.
Within the gymnasium’s first two weeks, Guazo Health has gained about 100 members. Memberships price from $15 to $30 per 30 days, one other try and maintain the gymnasium accessible, he stated.
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“It is a place for everybody — younger and outdated, not simply the younger guys,” Trujillo stated.
The opening course of has been an extended one. He stop his full-time bodily remedy dwelling well being job in February 2021 to give attention to the gymnasium. In the summertime of 2021, he and Laura discovered the situation and started work on the constructing, including new flooring, loos, an cardio exercise area and $300,000 of recent gymnasium gear, Trujillo stated.
Trujillo credit his spouse with carrying the undertaking alongside — taking good care of managerial duties and their 4 kids whereas Trujillo constructed the gymnasium and labored on weekends as an impartial bodily therapist.
“It’s been a problem, however I couldn’t have carried out it with out her,” he stated.
Guazo Health is called after Trujillo’s hometown of Guantanamo, Cuba. Guantanamo is typically known as Guaso, Trujillo stated. The added “Z” is Trujillo’s twist.
Trujillo moved to Miami on the age of 17, and enlisted within the Marine Corps after highschool. He stayed within the navy, studied bodily remedy and ended up in North Carolina. In 2013, when he left the navy, he and his spouse ended up in Hickory.
“We love Hickory, and we see it as a rising metropolis,” he stated. “I see potential on this space and we need to be part of it.”
Trujillo desires to assist enhance the well being of the group as an entire, he stated. The gymnasium may have in-house well being providers for members, like a month-to-month class from a dietitian, however Trujillo additionally plans to attempt to run community-wide campaigns in opposition to smoking or alcohol abuse.
“We wish individuals to see the results of smoking or different issues,” he stated. “It’s important to see what I’ve seen to know in the event you care for your physique and don’t abuse your physique, you lead a significantly better life. It’s unhappy to see individuals get to their 60s and 70s and battle to outlive.”
Trujillo stated he has extra plans for progress on the gymnasium and room so as to add on if the necessity arises, and he stated he’s hopeful it is going to.