Carlos grew up in Pasadena, CA. When he was 12 years old, his family moved to Duarte, CA where Carlos attended middle school and high school. Carlos started hanging out with the wrong crowd. About a year after graduating high school he finally realized that he could do more with his life, but needed a push in the right direction. With this in mind, Carlos decided to join the United States Marine Corps and left for Boot Camp on August 24, 2009. Carlos chose to become a Combat Engineer because he loved the idea of working with explosives.

On November 20, 2010 he was injured during his first deployment in Sangin, Afghanistan by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Both of his legs were severed at the knee, his left femur was broken, and he suffered a minor Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). After months of rehabilitation and family support, Carlos began to put his life back together. Carlos has hand cycled in six marathons, alligator and boar hunted in Florida, mono-skied in Colorado, fished in Alaska, and competed at the 2012 Warrior Games for wheelchair basketball and wheelchair racing. His wheelchair basketball team won the 2013 and 2014 Western Conference Championship. Carlos also completed a 5K Rugged Maniac race.

Carlos was Medically Retired from the USMC in September 2013. He is currently enrolled in his fourth semester of college with hopes to become an Ultrasound Technician. Carlos and his wife Jacki have a two year old daughter, Isabel, and a newborn son, Andrew.