Pay It 4ward: Friends recognize tin punching artist’s selflessness

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Tonight KOB 4 helps Pay It 4ward to a woman who has been using her pain to make a beautiful and important impact.

Behind every punch is a deep, heartfelt meaning for Patricia Martinez Strong.

“Every punch is to punch away at brain cancer and so that’s why I do it,” said Martinez Strong. 

Martinez Strong lost her brother to glioblastoma – one of the most deadly types of brain cancer – exactly seven years ago on July 24, 2016. 

“My brother was a wonderful, wonderful man and I just do this in memory of Emilio Marcos Martinez,” said Martinez Strong.

Martinez Strong started tin punching in 2018 when she retired from a career in engineering. She stumbled into a class at the Los Volcanes Senior Center, and her hobby took off from there.

As her punching improved, she joined art shows to sell some of her work. Then, she started to give back to the National Brain Tumor Society. 

Her classmates Florentina, Ernestine, and Gina – noticed the effort. 

“She is so nice, and so selfless, and she’s always willing to give,” said Gina Harbarger. 

“Very unassuming, very quiet, but very knowledgeable, and she will share all her knowledge in the class, and just a very good person,” said Florentina Pacheco, Pay It 4ward nominator. 

“I just really admire her because she works so hard for her cause of brain cancer research,” said Ernestine Martinez. 

She buys her own supplies and tin, and pays her way for entry fees into art shows. But donates all of her profits.

“In the Bible it says, ‘Those who sew in tears shall reap in joy.’ Well, she’s sewing in tears, so we want to watch her reap in joy,” said Pacheco. 

So, it was time to Pay It 4ward with $400.

Watch the video above for more.