Events / Media
The Mission Continues
The Uniform Came Off. The Mission Didn’t.
When I came home from Vietnam, I thought I could simply leave the war behind and move forward. But some experiences stay with you. I built a family, worked, coached, mentored others and kept going, even when I didn’t fully understand everything I was carrying.
Years later, life brought a different kind of fight through cancer, strokes, surgeries and recovery. Through it all, Kari stood beside me, and I began to understand something that has shaped the way I live today: surviving your own battles matters, but so does using what you’ve been through to help someone else through theirs.
WHY I KEEP GOING
The Mission Continues
My service didn’t end when I took off the uniform. Over the years, I found new ways to serve — through coaching, mentoring, veteran leadership, advocacy and simply being there when someone needed help. Today, my mission is to use what I’ve lived through to encourage others, support my fellow veterans and remind people that getting knocked down doesn’t mean the journey is over.
VETERANS HELPING VETERANS
When I reconnected with the VFW, I found something I had been missing for years — the brotherhood of veterans helping veterans. I’ve seen firsthand how much it can mean to have someone listen, help you find the right resources or simply remind you that you’re not facing the fight alone.
COACH. MENTOR. LEADER.
Whether I was on a soccer field, a basketball court, at work or serving in the VFW, one thing always stayed the same: I wanted to help people grow. That is what being “Coach Mac” has always meant to me — not just teaching the game, but helping someone become stronger and more confident in themselves.
AWARENESS & ADVOCACY
My own health battles taught me how important awareness can be, especially for veterans. I began speaking out about bladder cancer and toxic exposure, working with BCAN and talking directly with veterans who needed information and support. If my experience can help someone ask the right question, seek help sooner or know they’re not alone, then sharing it matters.
HOPE & PURPOSE
I’ve been knocked down more than once in my life. Polio. War. Cancer. Strokes. Surgeries. Recovery. But I’m still here, and I believe that means something. As long as I’m able, I want to keep serving, keep encouraging and keep reminding people that there is always a choice: stay down, or get back up.
MY STORY • MY JOURNEY
The Warrior’s Ride Isn’t Over
I didn’t write this book to make myself look like a hero. I wrote it because my life has taken me through places I never expected — from polio as a child and service during Vietnam to family, coaching, cancer, strokes, recovery and a mission I’m still carrying today.
Through all of it, I’ve learned that life isn’t just about surviving your own struggles. It’s about what you do with those experiences afterward. This is my story of getting knocked down, getting back up and discovering that as long as I’m still here, there is still something worth doing for someone else.
