I started listening to your podcast just a few days ago, but just tonight I listened to your one for Tim Ballard. This podcast is awesome! It successfully brings the SEAL/Warrior mentality and Christian values together. Sometimes folks think to be a SEAL or any sort of Special Operations team member that you have to throw morals and ethics, etc, out the window, but clearly that is all incorrect, and you guys are living proof. Thank you for serving and for your new mission of doing this podcast.

The motto of never quit has always been in my life. I was born with Ectodermal dysplasia; providing me obstacles to overcome. Ranging from bullying at school to 15 surgeries. Because of my disease i don’t make tears, I’m small, i look different, thinner hair, and I don’t sweat or not regularly like everyone else.

My never quit story starts in 2001. Over the next few years God decided to show his faith and throw at me several things…a neck fusion, first recovery day at home was on 9/11, to less than 12 months later I was diagnosed with a brain tumor, then in 2004/2005 I broke my femur skiing and then got diagnosed with a 2nd brain tumor. Each time something came I just said ok and rolled with the situation. I never gave up, God provided me with an awesome body that heals quickly. I only missed a hand full of weeks during those 4 years. I never had to have physical therapy, I just swam to recover from my broken leg. I’m a bit crazy and thrive on adversity. If someone says no to something bc they think I can’t do it then I just want to do it even more to prove them all wrong.

Despite these obstacles I never stopped trying to achieve my goal of doing something bigger than myself, ideally being in the military, but that didn’t pan out. My proudest achievement, besides where i work now, is being a volunteer firefighter. I remember the first day I walked into the station; the chief asked me what I wanted to do and I said operations. He reluctantly said oh ok. I knew i had my work cut out for me, but I eventually earned everyone’s respect. I became Technical Rescue and Interior qualified During my initial training i received a T shirt from one of my instructors as a signal of my hard work and that I was one of his best students. This instructor was a firefighter/EMT for Washington DC Fire Department.

Hope this inspires others to never give up no matter what life throws at them.