Dan was very active in high school and graduated in the top 5% of his class. He then graduated the United States Air Force Academy in 2001 with a Degree in Engineering. Ever since Dan was little, he wanted to be a military pilot, and serving in the Air Force enabled him to pursue his dreams. His exceptional skills as a pilot would make him specially selected to fly the A-10 Thunderbolt II, aka "Warthog". His dream had finally come true. 

Dan was deployed 3 times to Afghanistan. On his first deployment, he was sent in on foot with the Army as a Battalion Air Liaison Officer where he received the Bronze Star. His second deployment made history. Dan (known to airmen as "Clyde", his call sign), and his squadron, the 354th fighter squadron "Bulldogs" flew over 1,700 combat missions totaling more than 6,000 combat hours. It was on his third deployment that he received the Distinguished Flying Cross with Combat Valor for heroism. On August 21, 2007, Captain Cruz's airmanship and courage displayed under hazardous conditions culminated in an extremely successful Operation ENDURING FREEDOM mission. 

In April of 2016, Dan passed away at his home from complications of seizures and PTSD. He was buried with full military honors including the Missing Man Formation fly by. Dan will be remembered by many as a true American Hero who made history and saved countless lives by risking his own.

$10 from every bracelet sold will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project in Dan’s name.