I was born and raised in Lima. As a child, I suffered from migraine headaches. I had numerous medical tests done, including as an inpatient in the hospital. Medical doctors were never able to determine a cause of the migraines. I was a tag-along with my mother on one of her visits to a doctor of osteopathy. I had my first osteopathic manipulation when I was about 6 years old. The migraines started to decrease in intensity. Shortly after that, we started seeing a chiropractor. I have been a chiropractic patient for 50 years.

After graduating high school in 1984, I worked various odd jobs before joining the US Navy in 1987. I served for a total of 5 years as a Hospital Corpsman. My last 2 years was as a pharmacy technician. After I was discharged in 1992, I started working in a retail pharmacy. It was during that time that I realized that medications were being over-prescribed. I then decided to follow my childhood dream of being a chiropractor.