Newport News shipbuilders face adversity every day, but many pride themselves on overcoming the challenges that aircraft carrier and submarine construction present. One shipbuilder in particular has built his career – and life – around succeeding against adversity.

Kyle Cooke (X32) is a proud shipbuilder, willing to do whatever is needed to see his job as a sheet metal worker done. In addition to the common challenges of shipbuilding, Cooke lives with a condition called macular degeneration.

“My eyes are supposed to diminish over time,” Cooke said. “Since I was born with it, I should have lost my vision by the age of 5 or 6.” Instead, Cooke’s vision has remained stable as he’s grown older. During his time in school, however, he was bullied due to his visual impairment. “I eventually learned that, sometimes, people don’t know how to express themselves beyond the way they act.”

When he was in the fourth grade, Cooke was inspired by martial arts icons Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee. Cooke said he went with his mom to a nail appointment one morning and there was a karate dojo next door. After asking permission, he entered the dojo and spoke with a teacher named Carlos Reeves. “He asked why I was interested in karate, so I told him the truth. I didn’t want to get beat up anymore. I didn’t want to feel like I had nobody to talk to.”

The next week, Reeves became Cooke’s first teacher. He continued through high school, at which point he tried to take a break. “I tried, but I missed it so bad. I could never get away from it.”

While taking classes at Virginia Peninsula Community College, then Thomas Nelson Community College, Cooke saw martial arts in the course catalog and, seeing an opportunity to get back to his passion, registered for the course.

“On the first day, the teacher walked in and introduced himself as Brian Hobson,” Cooke said. “I recognized his name and face immediately, because his pictured had been hanging in my first dojo – Hobson had been Reeves’ teacher as well!”

Cooke continued studying under Hobson and began competing in kata, a division focused on detailed, choreographed movements and forms. In 2023, Cooke learned about the impaired division. Up until this point, he had been competing in a full-sighted division and performing well.

Cooke now competes in para-elite kata, a division for disabled individuals who can compete at a very high level. His efforts took him to New Orleans, where he qualified for a competition hosted by the World Karate Federation in Monterrey, Mexico, in May. “I had to compete completely blindfolded,” Cooke explained. “Absolutely zero light came through the mask. After competing, you’re just standing there waiting to hear the judges’ decisions because you can’t see the board. I managed to do well, though.”

Not only did Cooke do well – he brought home the gold medal for his division, becoming the top competitor across Mexico, the United States and Canada.

After further training and additional competitions, Cooke has qualified for and plans to compete in Cairo, Egypt, this Thanksgiving. He looks forward to experience the culture and food, but has one goal for this trip in particular beyond his karate. “The first thing I want to do is ride a camel.”