The headstone to Daniel Richard Healy reads SCPO, Navy SEAL July 17, 1968 – June 28, 2005. “LOVE OF MY LIFE OUR HERO AND DAD.”

Dan was born and raised in Exeter, New Hampshire. He was a bit rambunctious, he loved… a lot, he worked hard… to a fault; and he lived and loved life on his terms. At age 21, he left New Hampshire looking for work and, failing to find any, he enlisted in the Navy in 1990. From that point forward, health and fitness was a lifestyle. 

His decision to join the Navy SEAL/s was spontaneous. During Boot Camp, a friend had told him Navy SEAL/s get to jump out of air planes, SCUBA dive and blow **** up. From that moment forward, he was sold. He earned the rank Senior Chief during his 13 years of service and was highly respected by his teammates.

My dad was very good at his job but more than anything, he was a good man and a great friend. Once you became his friend, you were a friend for life. He was a family man, and would move mountains to be with his family. He was loved by his brothers in arms and he loved his every growing family outside of the SEAL teams.

He loved to golf, although, most everyone knew he was terrible at it. Whenever we got the chance, he would take my sisters and me to “Fun 4 All” for a game of miniature golf. I look back now and realize he was just looking for an excuse to get the extra practice in. My dad believed in always trying your best and never giving up. He reiterated it to me often, especially when I began playing sports.

One of my most fond memories with my dad was in Hawaii, where he was stationed for over eight years. He flew me out by myself for some father son time. We woke up early every day and he would watch the news while I played computer games. We played racquetball in the afternoons and chess well past mid-night every day for a week straight. We wrestled and lifted weights with the other SEAL/s in his platoon. He taught me how to shoot his sniper riffle and showed me the insane equipment him and his men were trained to use.

I will forever cherish the week as one of the best in my life. However, my most fond memory of the week was simple. One day, my dad and I were golfing on base in Hawaii. The greens were terrible, so my dad stopped us at a hole where the course met the ocean. The sun was setting and there was no one else around. He pulled all the balls he had in his bag out and placed them before me. One by one, I hit each golf ball in to the ocean. It was one of the most peaceful and serene moments I have ever had. I hit golf balls until we found my swing. I’ve had it ever since.

Jacob Centeno “Healy”

Surviving son of Daniel Richard Healy