The Gift of Fire

Dan Caro has been proving the world wrong since he was in nappies. When he was two, he was engulfed in flames in an accident that left him with third degree burns so severe that doctors held out little hope he'd survive. Dan was in such excruciating pain that his devastated parents silently prayed for God to end their son's suffering and welcome him into heaven. And it seemed as if God was willing to oblige - Dan technically died on the operating table several times in the hours following the accident. Even though his heart stopped, Dan's spirit wasn't ready to give up . . . Despite the odds, he survived, but life would not be easy. The fire left him badly maimed and disfigured. His hands, most of his skin and nearly all of his face were burned away. He would endure years of painful surgeries and endless months of lonely isolation in burn units, only to suffer the agony of social rejection, shunned and called 'monster' by both children and adults in his Louisiana hometown. With the support of his loving family, Dan did not despair. He kept his heart open to the world and focused on the positive energy around him. Before his sixth birthday, he vowed that his life would not be defined by the way others saw him or the restrictions of his so-called physical handicaps. Dan set himself a series of life goals, starting with tying his shoelaces without fingers. Once he had achieved that, he decided he could do anything . . . so why not learn to play the drums? When Dan was told he'd never be able to do so, he promised himself that one day he'd become one of the most accomplished drummers in New Orleans. Since that day, Dan's music has inspired thousands. Many more have also been inspired by his personal philosophy of focusing on the positive, refusing to accept limits and living life with an open heart. Today, the young man who was once shunned by his neighbours is very much in demand as a public speaker who encourages others to not just overcome life's hardships, but to view adversity as a gift that can drive us toward reaching our full potential.

Dan Caro was born and raised in Southern Louisiana and grew up surrounded by the sounds of the New Orleans jazz scene. He vowed at a young age that, despite the childhood fire that robbed him of his hands, he would become a professional drummer. His pursuit and achievement of his dream inspired thousands of people and launched his second career as a motivational speaker. Dan also serves as an Ambassador for the Shriners of North America.

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