Growing up in the 1970s on a tough council estate in North East England, career options were limited. As a young lad, I needed focus. Three days after my 17th birthday, the Royal Marines offered me that. After serving in the Falklands and Northern Ireland, my career took another path, which eventually led me to twenty-five years serving as a firefighter. My driving force for many roles in my life has been that of duty. Throughout life's challenges, commiserations, and celebrations, I began to appreciate how fragile life can be -- and learnt the importance of physical health, a positive mindset, and unbreakable resilience. My story, my life, my duty.