Brad Leavitt Podcast

Overcoming a Life of Obstacles with Former Navy Seal Dash Wong of Kill Cliff

Jun 13, 2021

01:02:44

Dash reflects back on a childhood in Hawaii filled with turmoil and uncertainty, from being abandoned by his own parents literally without a name, to growing up around fight clubs and never having a home he could call his own. He then describes the turning point in his life when he was adopted by the Wong family.

Down the road, Dash was inspired to join the Navy and, later, the SEALS. He talks about the challenges he faced as a scrawny kid surrounded by formidable athletes at BUD/S and how he was able to come out on top despite all odds.

He touches on his near-death experience with adenocarcinoma as a young father and his departure from the military, and how it all led to his current involvement with Kill Cliff.

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Topics Discussed:

[04:06] The unique story behind Dash’s name and his turbulent upbringing
[11:29] Going into foster care after his mother’s arrest and becoming adopted
[16:22] Growing up in an Asian family and deciding to join the military
[21:32] Lessons learned in the military
[30:16] Why Dash decided to join the Navy specifically
[31:28] The most challenging moments of training for BUD/S
[36:52] Getting diagnosed with cancer and leaving the military
[47:15] Starting a new chapter in life and joining Kill Cliff
[55:22] What Dash loves most about Kill Cliff

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Key Quotes by Dash:

Love the person, not the action.
Trust is the big one. You can’t expound upon a relationship without trust.
You can sit there and wallow and hate on the world or your circumstances and where you’re at; or you can make the decision to grind. Change is never easy because it causes forced reflection upon yourself to get better. You’re going to have to dig deep.
At Kill Cliff, we do know we have the best beverage, but that’s not the foundation that we stand on. We stand on something so much bigger and so much stronger. It’s the American spirit that we stand behind.
The struggle will make you stronger, but you have to want it. You just have to keep wanting to push the limits.