Dino Mavrookas

And I remember thinking all this stuff and I'm sitting there at chow or where they're feeding us dinner. And I just remember one of the instructors going, hey, do not quit at chow. Your entire body is going to shut down. You're going to feel like you can't go on. Just get up, take two more steps. And then if you want to quit, quit.

And I remember thinking all this stuff and I'm sitting there at chow or where they're feeding us dinner. And I just remember one of the instructors going, hey, do not quit at chow. Your entire body is going to shut down. You're going to feel like you can't go on. Just get up, take two more steps. And then if you want to quit, quit.

And I remember thinking all this stuff and I'm sitting there at chow or where they're feeding us dinner. And I just remember one of the instructors going, hey, do not quit at chow. Your entire body is going to shut down. You're going to feel like you can't go on. Just get up, take two more steps. And then if you want to quit, quit.

So I looked to my buddy next to me who ended up making it as well. He probably doesn't even remember this story, but I looked to him and I go, hey, when they say let's go, don't ask me any questions. Don't say, are you ready? Don't do anything. Just can you give me your hand and pull me up? That's it. And so they said, time to go.

So I looked to my buddy next to me who ended up making it as well. He probably doesn't even remember this story, but I looked to him and I go, hey, when they say let's go, don't ask me any questions. Don't say, are you ready? Don't do anything. Just can you give me your hand and pull me up? That's it. And so they said, time to go.

So I looked to my buddy next to me who ended up making it as well. He probably doesn't even remember this story, but I looked to him and I go, hey, when they say let's go, don't ask me any questions. Don't say, are you ready? Don't do anything. Just can you give me your hand and pull me up? That's it. And so they said, time to go.

He stood up, gave me his hand, pulled me up, took two steps, never thought about it again. No kidding. It was like a light switch. Now, it still hurt. But that thought of, hey, I can't make it, Went away. And I just turned into whatever.

He stood up, gave me his hand, pulled me up, took two steps, never thought about it again. No kidding. It was like a light switch. Now, it still hurt. But that thought of, hey, I can't make it, Went away. And I just turned into whatever.

He stood up, gave me his hand, pulled me up, took two steps, never thought about it again. No kidding. It was like a light switch. Now, it still hurt. But that thought of, hey, I can't make it, Went away. And I just turned into whatever.

Maybe a little bit. To be honest, I never really wanted to quit. I just didn't think I was going to make it. You know, there were people, and I remember this and you probably remember this too, where the instructors say, okay, well time to go get back in the ocean and freeze your ass off for 15 minutes. And I remember people looking at me and saying, screw this.

Maybe a little bit. To be honest, I never really wanted to quit. I just didn't think I was going to make it. You know, there were people, and I remember this and you probably remember this too, where the instructors say, okay, well time to go get back in the ocean and freeze your ass off for 15 minutes. And I remember people looking at me and saying, screw this.

Maybe a little bit. To be honest, I never really wanted to quit. I just didn't think I was going to make it. You know, there were people, and I remember this and you probably remember this too, where the instructors say, okay, well time to go get back in the ocean and freeze your ass off for 15 minutes. And I remember people looking at me and saying, screw this.

I got better things to do right now. Literally better things that I could be doing right now. And for me, I didn't. That's where I wanted to be there. I wanted to make it. And I did not want to go chip paint on the ship for four years, which is the alternative. But it was just a question of if, if I could.

I got better things to do right now. Literally better things that I could be doing right now. And for me, I didn't. That's where I wanted to be there. I wanted to make it. And I did not want to go chip paint on the ship for four years, which is the alternative. But it was just a question of if, if I could.

I got better things to do right now. Literally better things that I could be doing right now. And for me, I didn't. That's where I wanted to be there. I wanted to make it. And I did not want to go chip paint on the ship for four years, which is the alternative. But it was just a question of if, if I could.

And getting up and taking those two steps after, again, I thought my legs were literally broken. That told me I could. And then fast forward, I finish Hell Week. Of all the stupid things to get, to have trouble with, drown-proofing. Drown-proofing? Drown-proofing. You had, you were... I could not float. So I'll kind of, again, describe it for the listeners a little bit.

And getting up and taking those two steps after, again, I thought my legs were literally broken. That told me I could. And then fast forward, I finish Hell Week. Of all the stupid things to get, to have trouble with, drown-proofing. Drown-proofing? Drown-proofing. You had, you were... I could not float. So I'll kind of, again, describe it for the listeners a little bit.

And getting up and taking those two steps after, again, I thought my legs were literally broken. That told me I could. And then fast forward, I finish Hell Week. Of all the stupid things to get, to have trouble with, drown-proofing. Drown-proofing? Drown-proofing. You had, you were... I could not float. So I'll kind of, again, describe it for the listeners a little bit.

So this is when you get your hands tied behind your back, your feet tied together, you're thrown in the deep end of the pool, and it's 15 feet deep. And you have to sink to the bottom, jump off the top, jump back up to the top, you bob up and down for five minutes, you float for five minutes, you swim across the pool, you swim back, and then you're done. I fundamentally could not float.

So this is when you get your hands tied behind your back, your feet tied together, you're thrown in the deep end of the pool, and it's 15 feet deep. And you have to sink to the bottom, jump off the top, jump back up to the top, you bob up and down for five minutes, you float for five minutes, you swim across the pool, you swim back, and then you're done. I fundamentally could not float.