Dan as born in Raleigh, North Carolina, and grew up with two brothers, including his identical twin and "Biggest Loser" teammate Don. As a child, he lived in several different states due to his father's Navy career and his parents' divorce when he was 6 years old. He attended college in Oklahoma, where he now resides, getting an associate's degree in police science from Oklahoma State University, and bachelor's and master's degrees in liberal studies from the University of Oklahoma. He wasn't overweight as a child or young adult, but his weight began to increase after he joined the police department in 1979. He began really gaining when he was 28 years old, due to poor eating habits, lack of exercise and a sedentary lifestyle. Dan had a son who died at age 24 in 2004, and also has a 9-year-old daughter. Now 54 years old and 287 pounds, with sleep apnea and high blood pressure, Dan says his weight adversely affects every aspect of his life, and he wants his old life back. He looks forward to running and playing with his daughter when he loses the weight.