Meet Pittsburgh’s very own Karate Kid Gabby Viola!
Gabby Viola karate and kickboxing
Gabby began training in karate at just two years old at Allegheny Shotokan “Viola” Karate Dojo, becoming the inspiration behind the dojo’s Nursery Ninjas program. A third-generation Viola martial artist, she proudly carries forward a family tradition rooted in discipline, leadership, and service.
She made her competitive debut at the 2013 Kumite Classic and has since competed in over 100 tournaments across North America. By 2015, Gabby captured her first Grand Champion title and later that same year became the youngest competitor at the Super Grands World Games, competing well beyond her age and rank. Despite often being one of the youngest and least-experienced belts in her divisions, she consistently rose to the challenge.
Beyond medals and titles, Gabby’s accomplishments are magnified by her courage. Diagnosed at a young age with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), she continues to train, compete, and lead while managing a serious chronic illness. Her perseverance has made her not just a champion athlete, but a role model for resilience.
Gabby is also deeply committed to community service and advocacy. She has been a top fundraiser for Kick Parkinson’s Disease, a charity founded by her father in memory of their grandmother. She has further stepped into national leadership as an IBD awareness advocate, sharing her story to support research, policy change, and improved access to care for pediatric patients.
Now a Norwin Freshman, Gabby Viola proudly represents the U.S. Army Fight Team, earning world titles and major international medals across Ireland, Portugal, Canada, England, Hungary, and most recently, Wales (United Kingdom). At the 2025 World Championships in Wales, Gabby was named the top overall competitor, recognized as the event’s most decorated athlete for her outstanding performance across multiple divisions.
Looking ahead to 2026, Gabby has her sights set on major tournaments in Abu Dhabi, Spain, and France. She currently holds the #1 national ranking with WAKO USA, the official governing body for kickboxing under the U.S. Olympic Committee, solidifying her position as one of the country’s top young athletes in the sport.
Gabby Viola — Athlete, Ambassador & Advocate
| Role | Organization | Focus / Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsored Athlete | United States Army | Selected athlete representing the U.S. Army Fight Team, promoting fitness, resilience, leadership, and national pride through elite competition |
| Athlete Ambassador | Edgar Snyder & Associates | Represents the firm at national and international competitions, media appearances, and community initiatives—symbolizing perseverance and excellence |
| Goodwill Ambassador | Western PA Police Athletic League | Advocates for youth mentorship, discipline, and positive police–community relationships through sport |
| Health Advocate | Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation | Raises awareness for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, empowering young athletes living with IBD |
| Elite Athlete | Gabby Viola | World champion competitor and international representative for Team USA |
2018 Gabby’s real fight began…
Gabby listens to the song Fighter by Christina Aguilera, and it speaks to her. It reminds her to keep her hands up—always. She still has good days and bad days, but when the disease flares, I remind her of one simple truth: she’s a fighter. It’s scary, no doubt about it, but deep down she carries the strength of a hundred kids. She proved that to me—and to everyone watching—on a mat in Detroit.
Let me explain.
Life isn’t fair, and the sooner you accept that, the better off you’ll be. In 2018, completely out of nowhere, my daughter Gabby was diagnosed with bowel disease—an incurable, inflammatory form of colitis. From the outside, you’d never know she was sick. Inside, though, her body was under constant attack: severe bleeding, dehydration, abdominal pain, cramping, overwhelming fatigue, inflammation of the joints, skin, and eyes, and a dangerously swollen colon. She was just seven years old. No family history. No warning signs. Just… why?
Since then, we’ve done everything humanly possible—specialists, naturopathic and holistic care, trials, infusions, restrictive diets, medications, steroids, endless tests, and therapy. When you’ve exhausted every option, all that’s left is faith and the hope for remission.
Through it all, Gabby wanted one thing to stay the same: karate. It was her sanctuary. Her safe place. Her doctor gave the green light, and she held onto it with everything she had.
In July of 2019, she traveled to Detroit, Michigan, to compete at the World Karate Commission Team Trials. A top placement would earn a spot on Team USA and a chance to compete at the World Championships. This wasn’t a casual weekend tournament—Gabby and her teammates bled for this opportunity. She was one of the youngest competitors in attendance and still only a brown belt, facing divisions stacked with seasoned black belts. The process spanned multiple rounds, demanding consistency, toughness, and heart.
Day one didn’t go as planned.
She stumbled. The disappointment on her face shattered me, but I couldn’t let her see it. Her lip trembled as she fought back tears. I pulled her close and told her the only thing I knew might reach her in that moment:
“It’s time to unleash tora.”
“Win or lose, show them your tiger spirit.”
What she didn’t know was that we had something special waiting.
That weekend, I brought with me a brown belt that was more than 55 years old. It was worn, frayed, and far too long—but it was powerful. That belt had been worn by my father, then by me, then by my sister Addie. Now it was Gabby’s turn. She knew the history. I told her she didn’t need to earn it—she just needed to add her sweat to it.
And that’s exactly what she did.
In that moment, she showed tora no me—the eye of the tiger. The transformation was instant. She stepped onto the mat with a fire and intensity I had never seen before. She attacked her kata with precision, passion, and absolute belief. She flipped the script, silenced the doubts, and surged all the way to GOLD.
In that moment, no title, no trophy, no victory I’ve ever achieved could come close to the pride I felt watching my daughter—my fighter—stand on top of the world.
Understanding inflammatory type diseases
: Inflammation is the body’s response to fighting off harmful things. It could be an injury, infection, or something toxic. In Gabby’s case, she is always on
IBD Advocate
She’s Got Guts! Intestinal Fortitude
Her body is confused. This condition is called IBD—Inflammatory Bowel Disease—not to be confused with the far more common IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), which is not an inflammatory disease. IBD is an umbrella term that includes both Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis. Both are defined by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
IBD is a kind of ninja. Its symptoms are often invisible to the outside world. Patients may look perfectly healthy to friends and family, yet behind the scenes they are battling abdominal pain, crushing fatigue, rectal bleeding, bloody stools, and frequent, uncontrollable trips to the bathroom. While the exact cause is unknown, doctors do know that IBD is the result of a malfunctioning immune system. In simple terms, Gabby’s immune system is attacking her own body, triggering constant inflammation.
There is no cure—yet. So we search for ways to help her live as comfortably and fully as possible, holding onto the hope that a cure will be discovered in her lifetime.
Those closest to our family know how dramatically this diagnosis reshaped our lives. For twenty years, I promoted the Kumite Classic, one of the largest and most prestigious independent martial arts tournaments in North America. The expo was a 24/7, 365-day-a-year commitment. While the Kumite Classic was part of my identity, it does not define me. As the saying goes, “family first.” I stepped away from the Kumite Classic until Gabby reaches remission. Someday, I hope to pass the torch to her—and watch her reignite it. For now, I continue coaching my team, teaching, and traveling when her health allows. It’s simply a new chapter in a very long book.
Today, Gabby receives biologic infusions at UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her doctors are kind, compassionate, and exceptionally knowledgeable. Each infusion lasts three to four hours and requires her to miss school. The treatments are taxing—both physically and emotionally—but they are part of the fight to give her the best life possible.
IBD Advocate & Lobbyist
What makes this fight even harder is that the system itself often works against the very patients it is supposed to protect. Insurance hurdles, endless paperwork, and staggering medical bills create another layer of stress that no child or family should have to carry. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), the annual cost of Gabby’s current medication can range from $25,000 to $45,000, depending on dosage and frequency. That reality is both discouraging and unacceptable. Policies need to evolve, access needs to improve, and accountability needs to exist.
Instead of staying silent, we chose to fight back.
Gabby has been invited to take part in a national advocacy effort to raise awareness for IBD and for patients who struggle to access lifesaving treatment. Beginning this May, she will travel to Washington, D.C., to lobby on behalf of children and families living with IBD—kids just like her. She will share her story, not for sympathy, but to push for change and to urge lawmakers to support research, improve access, and prioritize patient care. As part of this effort, she will attend the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s Day on the Hill, meeting directly with Senators and Members of Congress. The experience includes policy meetings, advocacy training, educational forums for parents and pediatric patients, and a reception on Capitol Hill. Her hope is simple: to be part of the solution—and someday, part of the discovery of a cure.
As a family, we decided early on that this diagnosis would not define Gabby—it would shape her. We treat it the same way we train in the dojo: with discipline, resilience, and relentless determination. Every challenge becomes a lesson. Every setback becomes fuel. Gabby has made a promise to fight every single day, and I know her courage will inspire others to do the same. This disease may slow her down at times, but it will never stop her from chasing her dreams. Because without setbacks, there are no comebacks.
Over the years, that resolve has been tested. We’ve made countless emergency visits to hospitals, urgent care centers, and medical facilities. In 2019, during the US Open ISKA World Championships, Gabby was hospitalized after nearly passing out and admitted to Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital. She was in the middle of a severe flare, and her body was under attack. In the months that followed, she struggled to perform at her usual level and ultimately fell short of her goal at the WKC World Championships.
She had a choice: retreat into doubt—or rise.
She chose to rise.
I’m proud to say she returned stronger than ever, earning first place at NASKA’s 6A COMPETE Internationals. But the trophy was never the point. What matters is that she keeps suiting up—again and again—when others might say it’s time to quit. This journey will always have peaks and valleys, but we believe in failing forward. No matter how hard it gets, we keep moving—inch by inch.
We call it Kaizen (改善): continual improvement.
One percent better every day.
That’s our Violosophy.
Gabby is a member of Allegheny Shotokan “Viola” Karate Dojo, where she trains alongside her father, Bill Viola Jr. The dojo recently celebrated its 50-year anniversary and was honored with an official proclamation from Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, recognizing “Sensei Viola Day” on September 23, 2019, throughout the Pittsburgh region.
Sensei Bill Viola Sr. has four daughters, all of whom earned their black belts. Today, his granddaughter Gabby—along with the next generation of Senpai and Sensei (Lucy, Sammy, Taylor, Zoey, Haley, Abby, and Riley)—continues the dojo’s proud tradition of strong, inspiring women.
The team is preparing for the 2020 WKC World Championships in Madrid, Spain, while also fundraising for a future trip to Tokyo, Japan, to attend the 2020 Olympic Games. For more information, visit www.alleghenyshotokan.com.
Gabby began training at just two years old and became the inspiration behind Allegheny Shotokan’s Nursery Ninjas program. She made her competitive debut at the 2013 Kumite Classic and has since competed in more than 100 tournaments across North America. In 2015, she earned her first Grand Champion title and later that year became the youngest competitor at the World Games. Gabby is a multiple-time PKRA State Champion, USKA National Champion, WKC National Champion, and a consistent champion on the NASKA World Tour. As a third-generation Viola, she proudly carries on her family’s martial arts legacy.
Beyond competition, Gabby is deeply committed to community service. She has been a top fundraiser for Kick Parkinson’s Disease, a charity her father helped establish in memory of their grandmother.
We also extend our strength and support to members of our Allegheny Shotokan family who face their own GI-related health challenges: Sensei Conor Burns, Sensei Dave Zezza, and Senpai Mike Pietrzyk.
