On November 11, 1992, at 9:58 am, I was born at Winneshiek Memorial Hospital in Decorah, Iowa. Being my parent's first-born child, my mother had a hard time knowing what to do to start out being a parent. After about a week in the hospital, my mother and I were ready to go home in Cresco, Iowa, about 20 miles west of where I was born. I continued to live there for years to come.

Winters in northeast Iowa are one of the coldest, snowiest places around the United States. I clearly remember a couple times when the weather got terrible. In Junior High School, there was one day where the weather got so bad throughout the day that by the time school ended, school officials were forced to keep us stranded at the school. While the country children were stranded there, in-town kids got a chance to leave. Another time, while we were in Decorah shopping, we were on our way out of Walmart when my father called, warning us about the impending weather. We didn't think much of it as it didn't look bad in town. Upon reaching the hill out of the town, a huge blast of snow came rushing across the street, blinding our view of the road. Until we reached Cresco, I wasn't sure if we would make it or not.

Most of my teenage years were very pleasant, spending time with family and a few friends here and there. In junior high and high school, my grades were top-notch. My future looked bright, especially from being involved in choir and playing the trumpet in band, two of my favorite classes. Unlike most teenage boys my age, I never took an interest in playing video games or working on cars. I just enjoyed time with my family, playing card games, watching television, and searching the Internet.