Frankie Troiano

Wow. There are many people you come across who you most likely five seconds later. That’s human nature. Whatever is in front of you occupies your brain. Makes it sounds like we are rats! However, there are a select few that trigger your emotions or stimulate your mind to such a degree that you are left wondering, “What the hell? This person is so damn cool.” I do not like to gloat, but man, when you meet my brother you immediately understand he carries himself with an esteem and swagger that leaves you doubtful whether you should go on with what you are doing. From the time my brother was a young man, he understood people and nuances clearly. I will attempt to convey the specialness of my brother in a short one page essay so that you will leave your computer amped and ready to do something with your life that you care about (if you are not currently doing that).

My brother originates from Fishers, Indiana. This place is a nice suburb, typical to all cities. The houses are beautiful. The families are hardworking. Virtually these areas harbor no trouble. A solid environment to gestate a young man. Growing up he had a proclivity to make puzzles, build stand-up structures with legos, and read any book he could get his hands on. Because of his raw nature, sports with balls did not consume his interests. Instead he found Taekwondo as a wonderful outlet to his good natured aggression and energy. Quickly he mastered this discipline by achieving a double black belt. I remember him jumping over five people, as a 10 year old I might add, and smashing through a couple of boards with a kick. His junior years continued with this curiosity until high school.

Frankie developed before anybody else. This included mental, physical, and emotional development. That is why in high school he pushed the limits socially and in classes. It was not that he was reactive through dismay or a terrible home life, but moreso his demand to influence the environment around him. To put it simply, his eagerness drove him to be an anomaly through and through. For example, he became a Taekwondo master by the age of 12 and he had not pursued a discipline to an expert level since. As a senior in high school, however, he reignited his drive in athletic performance in the sport of Greco Roman wrestling. Yes, as you can guess, he dominated and finished second in state to a fierce competitor. Okay, second is not the best, but to think and realize that if he had channeled this targeted energy in the years preceding this accomplishment, he could have possibly hoisted multiple state trophies. It did not happen but you may understand my logic. His focus and intensity is immense and this was just the beginning of something truly special.

Frankie went to college. His experience was not a rose colored glasses time. In short, he enjoyed college socially and not so much with the academic requirements that the college wanted. School is not for everyone. Frankie already had a disposition to be quite unlike anybody else, so he did not finish. Instead, he enlisted as a private in the Air Force. From the start, Frankie impressed and confided that he would become Special Forces for one of the greatest military operatives ever. The Pararescue Jumper operatives. Through a grace that gives you the illusion that he walked to the military and was handed a medal for the position immediately, he graduated from Pararescue school in Albuquerque, New Mexico in no time. Myself, mother, father, grandfather, and aunt were all there to support his truly incredible feat. Since these hallowed experiences and praises for his fortitude and sticktoitiveness, he continues his performance by serving for the United States of America to this day. Woah. There is no telling, Frankie, how much further you will continue to rise. In your journey until now, it predicts soaring skies. Keep rising my man. Love you.