Heroin to Hero: A Green Beret’s Journey of Redemption

Today we sit down with Dan—a former addict turned elite Special Forces medic. From growing up in a broken home and battling heroin addiction to becoming a Green Beret and trauma instructor, Dan’s story is one of grit, transformation, and purpose.

Dan shares the raw truth about hitting rock bottom, detoxing cold turkey, and how fatherhood and military service saved his life. He dives into the brutal realities of Special Forces selection, his unexpected path to becoming a medic, and how mindset was the key to overcoming every obstacle.

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00:00 – Opening Monologue: Dan’s Life-Altering Realization
01:16 – Sidney Introduces Dan (and Gets Emotional)
02:00 – Growing Up in Virginia: Chaos, Sports & Responsibility
04:17 – The Growth Spurt That Changed Everything
06:30 – Working Since Age 11 & Early Hustles
08:12 – Sidney’s Parallel Upbringing & Reflections on His Mom
10:00 – Mind Over Matter: Working Through Physical Pain
11:48 – Daily Affirmations & Entrepreneurial Pressure
13:16 – Choosing College Far from Home
14:18 – The Magic of Montana’s "Big Sky Country"
15:43 – Man Trips: Living Off the Land
18:09 – Starving in the Wilderness & the Trout That Saved Him
22:29 – Returning Home: The Wrong Crowd & Drug Spiral
23:47 – Discovering He’s Having Twins While Addicted
25:25 – Locking Himself Away to Detox Cold Turkey
28:08 – Gratitude for His Daughters & Breaking the Cycle
30:22 – Witnessing Childbirth & the Trauma of a C-Section
33:13 – Becoming a Medic: 15+ C-Sections Later
34:47 – Teaching Doctors Without a Medical Degree
35:24 – Learning Medical Terminology Like a Second Language
36:14 – Joining the Military: A Conversation with Grandpa
39:06 – Army Basic Training Before the Iraq War
40:53 – NSA Assignment, Feeling Lost & Wanting More
42:00 – Asking God for a Sign – And Getting It
44:11 – Brutal Green Beret Selection: Mind Over Everything
47:44 – The Final Mental Test That Made 30 Guys Quit
50:24 – “Welcome to the Brotherhood” – Dan Gets Selected
52:03 – Becoming a Medic Wasn’t His Choice—But Became His Purpose
54:50 – The Pressure & Perfection Required of a Combat Medic
56:10 – Trauma Rotation: Saving Lives at a Level One Center

#VeteranStories #GreenBeret #AddictionRecovery #Mindset #SpecialForces #TraumaMedicine #Fatherhood #Podcast #SidneyGordon