Maurice Gomez, of Los Angeles, considers teaching women to protect themselves his life's purpose, and he usually does it for free, NBC News reports.
This purpose stems from a personal tragedy, when Gomez learned his girlfriend was raped and killed by a stranger, then left on the side of the road.
"I put blame on myself because I should have been there," said Gomez, owner of MG Kenpo Academy in Duarte, California, and a tactical self-defense instructor for the Los Angeles Police Department. "Ever since then, it was something I carried inside of me, where I didn't want anybody to have to feel that."
The fourth-degree black belt now offers free specialized self-defense classes for women — watching them gain in confidence and strength as they prepare for the worst.
Editor's Note: An earlier version of this article stated that Gomez is an LAPD officer, which he is not.
