NORTH SALT LAKE — Earning a black belt in karate is difficult enough.

For some, the process of earning a black belt from even a brown belt can take years to complete.

But for one Ethan Sandbeck, a North Salt Lake resident who also has Down Syndrome, his journey to earning a black belt was a dream ever since he started karate in the fourth grade.

“I have been going to karate for almost 10 years,” he said. “It has been a big part of my life and the teachers are like family. They inspire me to be the best I can be.”

Sandbeck recently earned his black belt through the Bobby Lawrence Karate Studio in Centerville and was required, among other things, to write an essay about his training.

His essay, titled “The Silent Warrior,” mentions his love for karate and how much it has influenced his life and his dreams as he earned his way through the different belt colors.

“The instructors made my experience fantastic,” he said. “Through the practices I have learned to become more confident and more skilled in martial arts and in life.”

Sandbeck was originally introduced to the karate school through an Art Start Night when he attended Bountiful Elementary.

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