Don started his public speaker career at the urging of his oncologist Dr. Rohit Kapoor. After the completion of his cancer treatment Dr Kapoor asked Don to speak to a group of his cancer patients about his experience with cancer. Dr. Kapoor and his medical staff were amazed by Don's attitude. Don was always in a good mood laughing and joking as a way of attacking his cancer problems. Don even showed up for one chemo session wearing a tuxedo with a small bottle of grape juice and a champagne glass. Looking over his past history, Don started preparing for cancer way back in 1968 when he graduated from college and took his first job at Pontiac State Penitentiary as a school teacher. There he was introduced to two books, “Think And Grow Rich”, by Napoleon Hill and “The Success System That Never Fails”, by W. Clement Stone. After reading those books, he started a life time search reading all the he material could find on human behavior and the subconscious mind. So when the biggest challenge of his life, being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin Lymphoma cancer, he was mentally prepared to handle the challenge.. During his presentations, Don gives examples of how he conquered his cancer by using the power of his subconscious mind and inspires his audience to start using these universal principles to elevate thinking and achieve more production, happiness and peace in their lives.

Don loves sports. Some of the early experiences Don had in his youth are fond memories of playing little league baseball. The first year when he was nine years old, he went zero for 17 and struck out more than half the time. The second year in he went another seven times before he finally got his first hit on the 25th time at bat. In his third year, Don went into the last game just needing one hit to win the batting title, and he did not strike out once that season. In 1953, weighting about one hundred pounds, he went out for his high school football team. He sat on the bench for three years. Starting his senior year he was going to be the quarterback. However, on the second day of practice, he broke his ankle and was told that his season was over. Refusing to accept this decision, he continued to go to practices preparing for the day when he would be ready to play again. When he showed up at the doctors office six weeks later with his ankle cast in shreds, the doctor was furious, to say the least, but Don managed to get the doctor to sign a release so he could play football again. Don played in the last four games of his senior year and was voted third team quarterback on the all-conference team. He also played baseball and ran track during his high school years. At age 42 he ran a marathon and finished in four hours and 2 seconds. At age 47 he entered a body building contest. In 2004, 16 months after his last chemo treatment, he rode his bike as a member of the Leukemia-Lymphoma “Team In Training”, 100 miles around Lake Tahoe at age 64.

After high school graduation at 17, Don enlisted in the United States Army for three years. Upon getting his discharge he started his college career at Marquette University. Because of his background in high school he was ill-prepared for the academic challenges that the University demanded. He failed English his first semester and had to repeat the course. He had to go from a full-time student to a part-time student so he could handle the academics demanded by the University. He worked at a gas station, drove a Coca-Cola truck, worked at a bakery, sold cars, worked as a laborer for the Caterpillar Company and was a security guard at the airport After six years of classes at Marquette,he had only earned half of the credits necessary to graduate. He then went to a radio announcing school hoping to get a job in a college town where the tuition would be less expensive. In an almost unbelievable set of circumstances he got a job at a radio station in Normal, Illinois, the home of Illinois State University. One week after getting to Normal and starting his radio job the GI bill came back, and with that financial boost Don was able to complete the last two years of college in 18 months. He graduated with a BS ED in social science in 1968.

Don's life can be divided into two parts, before cancer and after cancer. After the diagnosis of cancer, Don became a living example of what the power of an attitude of gratitude, the power of love, the attributes of never giving up and an example of what written goals can do for you.

When Don was diagnosed with cancer on April of 2002, his wife, Denise, came up with the idea that cancer was a blessing from God and and opportunity for growth, and new direction. With that in mind, Don preceded to go through his chemo with that attitude of gratitude. On Monday and Tuesday of every fourth week, preparing for his chemo session, Don would watch the first scene in the movie Private Ryan to get his mind ready for the war that was going to happen inside of his body as the chemo was injected into his body. He vowed not to complain or show any signs of fear and tried to make everyone around him feel at ease.

After his chemo sessions he would watch funny movies like Abbott and Costello, The Marx Brothers movies and Francis The Talking Mule. His wife even got him a set of 43 Three Stooges movies which he still enjoys today. He stayed away from any negatives and did not watch television shows that showed anything violent, depressing, or negative. His philosophy is you have to be happy to be healed

After his second chemo, he started to run a fever and under doctor's orders he was put into the hospital for precautionary measures, since his immune level was very low On Friday, after the effects of the chemo had worn off, he was visited by a friend who brought him the book, “It's Not About The Bike” by Lance Armstrong. Don read the book Friday evening, and Saturday morning.. After finishing the book, he declared that he could do everything Lance Armstrong could do plus a little bit more. He declared firmly this cancer was over and started walking laps in the hospital pulling his drip pole along his side. In his mind he had defeated the cancer. All that was needed to be done was go through the process.

Just after Christmas 2002 medical tests showed Don to be free of cancer and he set about getting back in shape living a normal life once again He had a new passion driven life and it shows when he is speaking to groups.

Since college, he has continued to self educated himself and has attended many classes and seminars on writing and speaking. He is a avid reader of WW II history and has a large collection of WWII books and tapes. He has been to Normandy Beach, and Pearl Harbor. One of his top goals is to visit Iwo Jima.

Don lives in Floresville, Texas, about 25 miles southeast of San Antonio, with his wife Denise and two rescue dogs, Angel Bear, and Morgan. He has four grandchildren. Don and Denise enjoying cooking together and being physically fit. They love to go to Big Bend National Park as often as possible for camping and hiking excursions. Don continues to ride his bike and weight lifts in preparation for 150 mile bike ride in October 2008.