Purple Heart Recipient & NFL Recruit
Daniel Rodriguez: Biography at a Glance
- Daniel Rodriguez has had an incredible journey that includes walking on to the Clemson football team after surviving the bloodiest battle of the war in Afghanistan.
- After earning a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his bravery, Rodriguez returned home and began to experience the psychological effects of the war which led to mental health and substance abuse issues.
- Remembering a vow he had made to his close friend and fellow soldier who did not survive the war, he took steps to fulfill his promise to get his education and play college football at Clemson.
- During his senior season with the Tigers, he published his autobiography Rise: A Soldier, A Dream and a Promise Kept, the firsthand account of his journey from Kamdesh to Clemson.
- Rodriguez also portrayed himself in Netflix’s The Outpost, the #1 streamed movie of 2020, and just completed filming another movie in Thailand with John David Washington.
- As a speaker, Daniel reminds audiences what it means to take control of one’s life with hard work and determination to succeed.
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Daniel Rodriguez has had an incredible journey. After surviving the bloodiest clash of the war in Afghanistan, he left the military and walked on the Clemson football in order to fulfill a promise to a friend who died on the battlefield.
Rodriguez’s father passed away four days after his high school graduation. He sought out the military and spent 15 months in Iraq before heading to Afghanistan, where he found himself in the bloodiest battle of the war. As more than 300 Tailban assaulted his combat outpost, it was partially overrun and nearly destroyed. During the 18-hour point-blank battle, eight U.S. soldiers were killed, including Rodriguez’s close friend, Pfc. Kevin Thompson.
The two had bonded over making plans for what they would do after they got out of the military. Six months later, Rodriguez returned home only to battle the psychological effects of war. After earning a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his bravery, suicidal thoughts and heavy drinking became the new normal. Spurred by the desire to make his friend’s death meaningful, Rodriguez decided to make a change. He enrolled in community college, raised his grades, and vowed to make good on the promise he had made to Thompson – to get his education and play college football.
While at Clemson, Rodriguez was honored with the Discover Orange Bowl Courage Award for his display of courage on and off the field. He also received the Armed Forces Merit Award, presented by the Football Writers Association of America and honoring an individual with a military background that has made an impact in college football. During his senior season with the Tigers, he published his autobiography Rise: A Soldier, A Dream and a Promise Kept, the firsthand account of his journey from Kamdesh to Clemson. He was awarded the American Hero Award by the Walter Camp Foundation and was the Veteran Leadership Honoree at the 9th Annual Heroes Gala presented by the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America). Rodriguez graduated with honors from Clemson and briefly signed with the now LA Rams of the NFL.
Never asking for a handout, only a chance, he reminds audiences what it means to take control and work to succeed with determination. Rodriguez shares the story of how he came back from the edge of war to honor his friend’s life and create a new one for himself. His accomplishments resonate with anyone who has ever fought for what they wanted.
Rodriguez portrayed himself in Netflix’s The Outpost, the #1 streamed movie of 2020, and just completed filming another movie in Thailand with John David Washington. He also started creating music, fulfilling a longtime goal of becoming a music artist. Rodriguez currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
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Determination, Grit, and Perseverance: The Journey from Kamdesh to Clemson
Daniel Rodriguez shares the unforgettable story of how he survived one of the bloodiest battles in Afghanistan and lived to pursue his dream of playing college football. Never asking for a handout, only a chance, he reminds audiences what it means to take control and work to succeed. With grit, determination, and the power of social media, he inspires audiences to tap into their potential and work to make their lives meaningful. An emotionally-moving storyteller, he shares how he found his way out of darkness and accomplished his unlikely dream, coming back from the edge of war in order to honor his friend’s life and create a new one for himself. This powerful keynote resonates with anyone who has ever fought for what they wanted.
