Daniel was raised in a blue collar family with a father who was a tire worker in Akron, Ohio. His mother stayed home to take care of the family. They lived in a two bedroom home and he shared a bedroom with his older sister. His father wanted him to become a great baseball player, so Daniel was on the field most summers. He saw there was a story in every ball game. When the baseball career faded away, he embarked on a college career in secondary education, with a major in social studies. After graduation, he became a teacher. Then went on to get a degree in guidance and counseling. Now the emotions were really showing up in his life. Everybody had a story to tell and they all needed to tell their story to somebody. He learned to be a good listener. He used writing as a way to pour out his thoughts and emotions from his daily experiences with students and families.