CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — With every rep, lunge and drop of sweat, dozens gathered at CrossFit Kohen to honor a man who never stopped pushing, not in war, not in life, and not in love.
Amador Duran, a proud Vietnam War veteran and Purple Heart recipient, was remembered during the second annual Purple Heart Hero Workout, an event hosted by the Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 598 in conjunction with the Purple Heart gym.
The workout isn’t just physically demanding, it’s personal. A symbolic effort by the community to carry the weight of remembrance.
“At all times you’re going to either carry a sandbag or a wall ball, and work through it as a team,” said Commander Skyler Barker. “Just like all of our service members had to carry the weight of protecting our nation, and living with visible and invisible wounds.”
Amador Duran Honored
Born April 25, 1947, in Robstown, Texas, Amador Duran was the son of migrant workers. As a child, he worked the fields, a humble beginning that shaped his discipline and resilience. Coming from a family who dedicated their lives to service, at just 18, Amador joined the U.S. Army and was later wounded during the Tet Offensive, one of the deadliest battles of the Vietnam War.
For his bravery, he was awarded the Purple Heart and promoted to the rank of sergeant. During his time in service, he also earned his GED.
After returning home, he became a certified welder, worked at the Corpus Christi Army Depot, and stayed active in the Alaniz Purple Heart Club and Robstown High School Alumni Association.
His youngest daughter, Amanda Ashford, said his military sacrifice was only part of what made him extraordinary.
“He gave up his freedom for everyone else’s,” she said. “But he was also the man who would give the shirt off his back to someone in need. That’s what I want to carry forward, his sense of duty and love.”
Despite his many accomplishments, one dream remained unfinished for decades: graduating from Robstown High School. Wounded in action before he could walk the stage, Duran’s education was cut short.
In May 2017, at the age of 70, he finally got that diploma, cheered on by his family, including his granddaughters.
“He asked if he got to party with the kids,” his wife, Rosie Duran, recalled with a laugh. “Education was so important to him. That day was one of the proudest in his life.”
He never gave up on his dreams, a mantra his family says defined him.
Devoted Husband, Father, and Community Pillar
Duran met Rosie in 1982. It wasn’t love at first sight for her, but it was for him.
“He tapped me and asked, ‘Are you a model?’ I told him to get lost,” she laughed. “But two weeks later, he tracked me down. Eight months after that, I married him.”
They were married for 42 and a half years.
“What I loved about him most was his love for his family,” Rosie said. “He was everything to us. We miss him so much. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of him.”
Amador was active in the veterans' community and often attended unaccompanied burials. He volunteered his time generously and stayed physically active well into his 70s, running the Beach to Bay Relay Marathon and mentoring others in fitness.
“He’d always say, ‘I’m fit and healthy because I work out,’” Amanda said.
The Purple Heart Hero Workout is more than an annual event, it’s a living tribute to a man who refused to quit and inspired others to push past their own limits.
During the event, his family was presented with American flags in his honor.
“It warms my heart,” Rosie said. “When Vietnam veterans came home, people threw rocks at them, called them names. But now, to see this, this recognition, it means everything.”
And if Amador were still here?
“I know he’d say, ‘You better put my picture on Facebook — it needs to go viral!’” Rosie laughed. “I already know him everything has to go viral for him. And that meant put it on Facebook.”
More Veterans In Focus stories are available here, along with resources for local veterans.
Contact Veterans In Focus reporter Michelle Hofmann at michelle.lorenzo@kristv.com
