The After-Action Report

The After-Action Report

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The After-Action Report
The After-Action Report
Dan's Miracle

Dan's Miracle

How an ex-Navy SEAL in distress changed his life — and the lives of others

Seth Hettena's avatar
Seth Hettena
May 05, 2023
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The After-Action Report
The After-Action Report
Dan's Miracle
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I attended a memorial service recently for my friend, Dan Cerrillo, a former Navy SEAL who died of a heart attack last month at the age of 50.

I had never been to a SEAL memorial before and I wasn't sure what to expect. It turned out to be a lesson about recognizing and seizing life's opportunities.

Dan's family and friends all spoke about "Dan's miracle." A few years before his untimely passing, Dan changed not only his life, but the lives of his wife and children, and many ex-SEALs like him. How did he do it? He took a chance.

Like so many SEALs, Dan fell into a spiral of alcohol and depression after leaving the Navy. His family was falling apart. His brain didn’t work. He couldn’t problem solve, couldn’t read or write. He was overwhelmed with sadness. He couldn’t sleep more than two hours a night. He was drinking a bottle of tequila a day. When people weren’t looking, he would cry. “I couldn’t fathom living any more in this condition,” he said.

He was not alone. There was a quiet epis…

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