Chef Brad Spence puts up his dukes to support veterans

Boxing helped change Brad Spence's life several years ago. He tried it, liked it, and dropped 60 pounds.

The chef and partner in the Vetri Family Amis in Washington Square West wants to use boxing to support military veterans - not just with fitness and weight loss, but with a sense of well-being while they train. "It's also helped me in my personal life as well," Spence said.

Fatback Boxing is based at Joe Hand Gym in Northern Liberties, where Spence trains under Wade Hinnant, a former pro lightweight.

Fatback's genesis dates back a few years. One of Spence's favorite charities is the Brendan Borek High Tides Memorial Fund, which runs surfing competitions in honor of a teen from the Jersey shore who died of cancer. Among the surfers is a group of veterans called Operation AMPED, many of whom have been injured in combat. Spence was impressed. "I wanted to continue with something on my own," he said.

"I thought about it, and thought about it, and thought about it, and I started planning, and then I realized I needed someone to do the logistics," he said.

Spence said he called on his jiu-jitsu partner Casey O'Donnell, president of Impact Services Corp., which works with veterans, "to take my crazy ideas and organize them."

Then he picked up hands-on help from trainer Rick Wendell, himself retired Army veteran who had served in combat in Iraq and Bosnia.

"It was hard for me [coming back to society]," Wendell said. "I was injured. I had PTSD. I was home for about a year or two, getting treatment, in and out of programs." Then his friend asked if he knew of any boxing programs. He found Joe Hand Gym and picked up gloves. He says his head is clear.

Fatback has its first veteran/boxer: Sam Peca, 24, a former Marine who was a combat engineer in Afghanistan.

Now a criminal justice major at Temple, Peca said he had trouble readjusting upon his return to American life. "There's a calm that comes when I'm here," he said before a workout last week.

Spence is raising money through cooking and community event, picking up support from such sponsors as Victory Brewing, Tito's Vodka, Julius Silvert, and Triple Play Sports.

This weekend, he is throwing a sold-out pig roast - hence the "Fatback" name - at his house, and he's baking biscotti - available at the Vetri restaurants - with proceeds going to the program.

Spence said his ultimate goal is to turn Fatback into a nonprofit gym, where veterans can train and work with at-risk youth. "There'd be a kitchen for cooking," he said. "One big community. We're boxing, we're learning about food, we're learning about cooking. Food and boxing go hand and hand."