Dan grew up in Maize, Kansas. He earned his Open Water certification in 2001 when he was stationed in New Jersey with the US Army. He started diving to try something new – and because he had always wanted to explore shipwrecks and other underwater wonders. His most memorable dive is the last dive he ever did with his father in Bear Lake, Arkansas, in 2002. He would like to start working toward becoming a dive instructor and completing his Full Cave course soon.