He lost his father in Iraq; 20 years later, he wears the uniform himself

“It’s a very risky role, but it was probably the best decision I’ve ever made, being able to help thousands of soldiers,” Quentin said. “Being able to change people’s lives has always been my goal. If I can help one person, then my purpose is valid.”

Last month marked the 20th anniversary of Sgt. Mendez’s death. Quentin’s mom, Jennifer and his oldest sister, Thyienna, wanted to plan a family vacation for that week, but Quentin was needed at a conference in San Antonio.

“We were able to drive down there and surprise him for his birthday,” Jennifer said. “We went to Sea World the day that he flew in, and then the following day he had a conference, so we took him out to  dinner.”

Thyiena said she thought it was important for the family to be together and “acknowledge that it’s been 20 years.”

“It has been such a long time, but it’s flown by,” she said.

The family shared memories of their father while out at dinner, she said. She characterized him as a charismatic, personable sports enthusiast who always wanted to bond with his kids over baseball and soccer.

“I remember growing up we had a WWE wrestling belt, and we would even have competitions,” Thyiena said.

“It could be a year, it could be 20 years, but the pain is always going to be there. … There’s certain triggers that I didn’t realize before that I do have now, but I think it was really important for us to just be together and talk about it.”

Quentin said that though it’s a weight that still remains on his shoulders, he chooses to honor and celebrate his father every birthday.

“I always make it about him, because he’s the one that made that sacrifice,” he said. “It’s one of the best things I could do.”