- Ethnic Descent Is half Italian & half Irish.
- Best friend, and sparring & training partner to: Taekwondo: US Olympic Team member. Dana Marten- Titles: National- Team Trials, 1994-Gold, 1995-Gold, 1996-Gold, 1997-Gold, 1998-Gold, Olympic Festival 1995-Gold, Titles: International- International champion- 1990-Gold, 1991-Gold, 1993, KBS Cup, 1994-Silver, Pan American, 1994-Silver,1995-Bronze,1996-Gold, World Cup, 1996- 4th,1997-5th,1998-6th.
- Was not able to read or write until the 5th grade, for having struggled with Dyslexia from an early age. Most of his elementary schooling was followed by after school tutoring from his grandparents. (DYSLEXIA), also known as reading disorder, is characterized by trouble with reading despite normal intelligence.[1] Different people are affected to varying degrees.[2] Problems may include difficulties in spelling words, reading quickly, writing words, "sounding out" words in the head, pronouncing words when reading aloud and understanding what one reads.[2][3] Often these difficulties are first noticed at school.
- Placed Gold at the 1998 California Open Taekwondo: Division, Black/Welter (Kyorugi).
- Placed Gold at the 1998 Inner City Games Taekwondo: Division, Black/Welter (Kyorugi).
- Placed Gold at the 1996 16th US Olympic California State Taekwondo: Division, Welter (Kyorugi).
- Placed Gold at the 1998 6th International California Open Taekwondo Championships: Division, Black/Welter (Kyorugi).
- Placed Gold at the 1998 6th Pan American Open Taekwondo Championships: Division, Black/Welter (Kyorugi).
- Placed Gold at the 1997 5th International California Open Taekwondo Championships: Division, Black/Welter (Kyorugi).
- Placed Gold at the 1998 18th US Olympics California State Taekwondo: Division, Black/Welter (Kyorugi).
- His first job was working at Jack in the Box at the age of 14.
- Attended: (Video Symphony - Pro School for media production) Film Editing , New Media, and motion Graphics.
- Upon Police Academy Graduation: Placed in top 5 in Firearms & Urban Combat.
- Level 1: P.O.S.T. Certification - Peace Officer Standards of Training / State California.
- E.V.O.C. Certification / San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department ( Emergency Vehicle Operations Center).
- Kali / Eskrima Certified under - Grand Masters: Antonio "Tatang" Ilustrisimo (1904 - 1997) & Pely Ferrer.
- Pacifica High: Garden Grove, California - (1998-2001).
- Has doubled accomplished actors such as Josh Duhamel, Dylan Mcdermott, Ron Perlman, Terry O'Quinn and Tom Lester.
- Is currently pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in History.
- His most influential hero, his grandfather Joseph Merendino served in the US Army during WW II from August 16th 1943, to March 14th 1946. Beginning on the European Front with the second wave of Operation Overlord / D-Day, June 6th 1944. Having received post Allied invasion, a Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster and Combat Infantryman Badge. He was a beloved husband, father of three, and two grandchildren. After an unsuccessful attempt for hip replacement surgery, he passed Friday March 19, 1999 in Orange County California.
- His Uncle Joseph Merendino II, served in the the U.S, Army-1st Calvary Division in the Vietnam conflict. Having Suffered from the effects of Agent Orange w/ post traumatic stress he was diagnosed as a diabetic paranoid schizophrenic, which effects him still today. (Agent Orange) A powerful mixture of chemical defoliants used by U.S. military forces during the Vietnam War to eliminate forest cover for North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops, as well as crops that might be used to feed them. The U.S. program of defoliation, codenamed Operation Ranch Hand, sprayed more than 19 million gallons of herbicides over 4.5 million acres of land in Vietnam from 1961 to 1972. Agent Orange, which contained the chemical dioxin, was the most commonly used of the herbicide mixtures, and the most effective. It was later revealed to cause serious health issues-including tumors, birth defects, rashes, psychological symptoms and cancer-among returning U.S. servicemen and their families.
- His Grandfather was an avid film collector whom's hobby filled the entire home with VHS tapes stacked side to side. As a child Travis' chores included rewinding watched tapes, and organizing his grandfather's collection in both genre & alphabetical order. They both enjoyed watching films together until his passing March 19, 1999.
- In 2007 his mother at forty six years of age passed from a Cardiac Arrest in Orange County California . She was a friend to all whom new her and loving mother of two.
- His Father Carl Merendino, whom being the very definition of blue color worker held positions such as: mechanic, printer, welder, carpenter, painter, mason, electrician, and others by which he maintain a home for his family exemplifying the working class with pride.
- He served six years in The United States Army MOS: 31Bravo in the 800th Military Police Company -160th Military Police Battalion with Honorable Discharge. Medals: National Defense Service Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Expert Qualification M9-9MM Beretta Pistol, Sharp shooter M4 Carbine. Specialist Browning M2-50 cal Heavy Machine Gun, M240 Bravo Machine Gun & M249 Light Machine Gun.
- He was discovered by by Second Unit Director Garret Warren whom also holds a 5th Degree Blackbelt in Tae Kwon Do and has won 3 World Martial Arts Championships. On May 20, 2000, a gunman hiding in his Westlake Village apartment shot him four times in the face and upper body. He survived but lost an eye. His ex-wife, Claudia Haro, eventually plead no contest to plotting two attempts to murder Warren and was sentenced to 12 years. He taught Travis how to cope with extreme post traumatic stress, severe anxiety, yet most importantly how to forgive.
- Best Friend, sparring & training partner sense childhood to the Kyledjian Brothers Armen & Arem. Titles: - Arem 4 world tiles in Kickboxing VUT organization, 1 State title kickboxing VUT organization, 1 Nation title Kickboxing IKBA. Titles: - Armen International Title Kickboxing IKBA, 1 State Kickboxing IKBA, & 1 National Kickboxing IKBA.
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