When Ryan began talking about his childhood memories of Don, he started with a simple description: his dad had always been his superhero.
He remembers seeing his father's Marine Corps belongings at his grandparents' home. He also remembers hearing Don talk about his service. Those things made an impression while Ryan was still young. He began to picture himself serving in the Marine Corps, too.
“My dad was always my superhero.”
Ryan says there was a point during college when he thought that part of his future might have passed. But he eventually went to boot camp. Looking back, he connects that path with the example he had seen in his father.
This is Ryan's memory of looking up to his dad: a child's admiration that became part of his own decision to serve. Don's example remained with him as he grew into an adult.