Ephraim Mattos grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin part of a middle-class family. His father Lonnie Mattos flew dozens of combat sorties over Iraq carrying troops supplies and evacuating the wounded. He also served in the local Air Force Reserve unit the 440th airlift wing as a flight engineer on the massive c-130 Hercules cargo airplane. On top of her domestic responsibilities mom took a job at our school as a full-time secretary earning less Than half the pay just to support the family while he was growing up.