I want to thank everyone who came together to make this book possible. It has been a pleasure working with my editor, Marc Resnick, assistant editor, Hannah O’Grady, and the entire team at St. Martin’s Press who worked so hard to put this project together. It’s been a long road!
My co-writer, Joe Layden, has made the difficult process of telling Cairo’s story much easier and even enjoyable at times. As much as I miss Cairo, it has been rewarding to have an opportunity to share memories of our time together.
Special thanks to producers Mark Semos and Jay Pollak from The Reserve Label and Cairo Holdings, and a big thank-you to Producer Alan Rautbort. And thanks also to our literary agent, Frank Weimann.
I would like to thank the U.S. Navy and the SEAL teams for allowing me to serve my country and giving me the opportunity to participate in countless great events. I want to thank my teammates for always being there and their families for allowing them to be. I would like to acknowledge everyone who served or who is currently serving in any capacity, to keep this country safe. Most notably, I want to recognize my fallen brothers in the military who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
I would also like to thank everyone who has helped me get through the difficult times transitioning out of the Navy, both on a personal and medical side. Natalie Kelley was there for me (and Cairo) when I needed a lot of support, and I will always be grateful. There were many doctors and support personnel at various treatment centers I attended: your kindness and expertise meant the world to me and helped me on the path to recovery. Among this group I would like to specifically recognize Kara Williams and the staff of the Brain Treatment Foundation for all their hard work on behalf of veterans. There are many other friends and teammates who helped on a personal level, too many to name individually here, and I don’t want to leave anyone out. You know who you are!
I would like to thank my mother and father for providing me with a loving home and family and for supporting my decision to enter the Navy and chase my dream of becoming a SEAL. Thanks for always being there for me.
Finally, I would like to thank God for watching over me through times good and bad.