DILLON NAVY SEAL TRAINING
Dillons mother contacted me this summer and explained Dillon ate and slept SEAL Team and Navy SEAL Training and was suddenly diagnosed with leukemia at age 11.
We tried for months to get Dillon down to help out with a Hell Night, but constant setbacks from lengthy hospital stays had everyone frustrated, especially Dillon. A day out from the September Hell Night, Dillon had his cammie pants pressed and boots shined for the Navy SEAL Training course here. Late the evening before the September course started, Dillon was being rushed to the hospital again, and much disappointment followed.
Finally, he showed up for the October course and fit in well with all the guys. Dillon acted as an instructor and mastered the bullhorn. He seemed to begin running his own training later in the evening as he sent a steady stream of trainees into the cold water for poor performances, and reminded each man that Its only water, you SISSES.
Hand 2 Hand Training, shooting weapons, and a very cool helo ride with his dad, Dillon left early Sunday morning after a long day and night here.
We look forward to having him back, but some of the poor performers will cringe seeing him approaching again with that bullhorn in 2009 Don Shipley
October 21, 2008
Extreme SEAL Experience 324 Gallbush Road Chesapeake, VA 23322
Dear Don,
First off I would like to thank you for one of the BEST experiences that I have ever had with my son and my grandson in my life.
I have always pushed my kids to believe in real life Super Hero’s and to Dillon the Super Hero’s were Seals. Now Dillon has put faces and personalities with his Super Hero profiles and they are Don, DJ, Ben and Luke making them REAL at a time in his life when he needs the TEAM power the most! The battle he has been having with Leukemia has been brutal. I have not seen Dillon SMILE this much ever, much less since he has been in this fight for his life. Dillon has dreamed of being a Navy Seal for years and we have done everything we can to support that dream. It is Great thing to see one of your kids or grandchildren in my case to meet their Super Hero’s in person and for them to be such Great guys. The SEALS we met make me PROUD to be an American and proud my grandson wants to be a SEAL. Thanks for that Don, DJ, Ben and Luke you guy’s rock!
Don your entire family welcomed us in and made us feel like we were a part of your family. Your wife made us feel like we had known her forever so please tell Diane, Fallon and DJ that this means the world to us and we will never forget it.
The October 2008 class also welcomed us in and treated Dillon as a part of their TEAM! The guys were going through some VERY serious training yet they were always VERY positive and supportive to Dillon. There couldn’t have been a better TEAM to be a part of! Dillon is going to have the group TEAM picture we did blown up and put on the walls of his room with all the other Seal posters he has. Thank you October Class of 2008!
Sincerely,
Ron Kincaid
(Dillon’s Grandfather)
October 19, 2008
Extreme Seal Experience 324 Gall Bush Rd Chesapeake, VA
Dear Don, Diane, DJ, Ben, & Luke,
I wanted to take a moment of your time to let you know how very much I appreciate you all having us down there. I think that is the happiest I have ever seen Dillon. I will never be able to repay you all tor what you have done for my family. We are so very fortunate in many ways and we were honored to be your guests.
Diane, you are one of the funniest and sweetest women I have ever met. I want to thank you for taking us in and making us feel as though we are a part of your family. It was great to meet you, Fallon and the rest of your family and I hope that we will be able to see you guys again soon. Words will never be able to express the gratefulness in my heart.
D|. Ben, & Luke, Thank you for taking time with Dillon to teach him things and letting him have fun hanging out with you. You could never imagine how much he means to me. To see him smile with you guys alter the last live months of hell he’s had to go through makes my heart crumble. I know that with what you guys do that brotherhood and being there for each other is second nature. However, as a civilian where we live, people just don’t believe in that way of thinking. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I know that there really isn’t anything I could ever offer you guys to repay you, but I want ALL of you to know that it there is anything I can ever do for you, it should never even be a question, I’ll be there. Thank you
Don, I saved you for last hoping that by the time I got to you I would know what to say. However, the truth is I don’t. My wife wrote to you five months ago when Dillon got sick and within a few hours of that you changed mine and Dillon’s life forever. Dillon has had a miserable five months dealing with not only the fact that he has cancer but dealing with watching his dad who he thinks is the toughest man in the world weep like a baby wondering if I’m gonna lose him to the endless barrage of drugs that they keep pushing into his little body. You have been more than I could have ever imagined I appreciate you and your family on a level you will never understand. I only hope that sometime in my life I will be able to touch someone’s life the way that vou have ours. I look forward to seeing you guys again soon. The time we spent there was the best experience of not only mine, but Dillon’s life as well. Thank you Don, for everything you have done on so many levels. Please let me know if there is ever anything I can do for you. ANYTHING.....
I know we live a little ways from each other but if you ever get the chance we would be honored to have you as guests in our home. I will keep you updated on Dillon’s status as the next two months are going to be the hardest he has to endure and we will be in the hospital a lot. Again thank you for everything Janna and I really appreciate it all.
Ryan Kincaid
October 19, 2008
Extreme Seal Experience 324 Gall Bush Rd Chesapeake, VA
Dear Don, Diane, D], Ben, & Luke
I appreciate you letting me come to your class. That was the most fun I have ever had. I have dreamed about being a seal for as long as I can remember. I trained hard for two years with my dad before I was diagnosed with leukemia. I guess one of the things all this has taught me is that even though all the training I did before seems at times like it was just a waste, I realize that its merely a bump in the road because as soon as I’m done kicking cancer’s butt I will restart my training and fulfill my dream. You all treated me so much like I was part of your family and I really really appreciate it. I don’t really have the words Don to express my thanks enough to you but I promise to make you proud as soon as I can return to training.
Mrs. Diane my dad has always taught me that true friends and great people are hard to find. However I found lots of that when you and Don welcomed me at your home. You literally gave me the coat off you back and for that I will be forever indebted to you. You really made me laugh and I loved being with you all.
D], I until now, only had the movies I have seen and the discovery channel as a picture of what a real seal would be like. You are the coolest dude in the world, not only because you are a seal but because you are truly a great person. I know my dad is soft about my situation sometimes but I will be a seal one day. You, Ben and Luke are my heroes. I really appreciate what you do for our country every day and it makes me sick to hear people talk crap when they have no idea of the sacrifices you all make. I only hope that I will be honored enough to stand by your side in the near future as one of you guys.
Don you are the coolest kick ass guy in the world. Thank you for everything that you have done for me I can only hope that you know that my thank you is from the very bottom of my heart. I know that I am young and have tons to learn but I also am smart enough to know that you didn’t have to do all that you have for me. I am forever indebted to you and I hope you allow me to remain close to you forever. I cried all the way home because I missed you guys and didn’t want to come home. No one has ever been as nice to me as you all have. Thanks.
P.S. The helicopter ride was the freakin coolest!
P.S.S. I had dad send a couple of my pictures from motocross, could you show them to DJ and the guys?
To the October class every one in that class was great. I’m not sure if you noticed but even though they were tired from you kicking their butts all day long, when they came in to eat and I was near them they all offered there seat to me. That may not mean anything to most people but to me it meant more than you will ever know. They were some tough and cool dudes and I wish them all the best in everything they do in life.
Dillon Kincaid
Don and Diane,I just want to personally thank you guys for taking my boys in and
treating them like family. It means so much! Don, when Dillon
first got sick I was trying to think of anything I could to give Dillon hope to fight the cancer that was ravaging his body, I saw
your website and wrote you a note about Dillon. I was hoping for
a note back to him or a picture or just something that would give
him some encouragement- you went way above that and gave him
something that was worth more than anything in the world to him.
You gave him the courage to fight and more importantly the hope
he needed to battle through the cancer and all the treatments that
went with it. You also gave me and Ryan something, knowing a
perfect stranger was willing to go as far as you did to help Dillon
showed us that humanity is still strong in this world and that we
can believe in others. After Ryan lost his job because of taking off
for Dillon’s illness and friends that no longer wanted to be around
us because they didn’t want to have to deal with watching Dillon
being sick made our belief in human nature a little wary. Thanks
to you, your family, and all the guys that are involved with
Extreme Seal Experience for your kindness and for being such
awesome role models for my son!! You guys are the best.
Sincerely, Janna Kincaid
PS. Tell Ben I hope he taught Dillon well, because he has gotten me to taste more weeds than I could have ever cared to try :)