Welcome back to REAL MEN!
It’s been a while since I have penned one of these tributes about a few of the great men I have had the pleasure to know in my life. As you may recall…
I have only written REAL MEN columns when I really felt a spark and the undeniable affinity and affection for the subject at hand. These gentlemen are Hall of Famers in my book and this one is certainly no exception.
Dean “Kid Dynamite” Emerson!
If you don’t know Dean, he is somewhat of a celebrity in these parts? Dean is a diverse, dynamic, and, well, DYNAMITE guy. The moniker “Kid Dynamite” was bestowed to him during high school years for his athletic prowess (I guess? Haha), but the name has become much much more.
The Dynamite Brand has become a bit of a juggernaut. From sports gambling (COLLECTING!) and golf to fishing and pickleball! (He also breeds, trains and races HOBBY horses! Don’t ask. Story for another time.) Dean has spent more than a decade building this “thing” that has become wildly popular. You can find that famous dynamite logo on hats, shirts, sweatshirts, golf bags, and beyond. There are even some custom-made Dynamite Nike’s out there! If you have not checked it out – please do so and buy some swag! LINK TO SITE
More important and meaningful is the man behind the brand; Good ‘Ol Deano. Smiley, funny, huggable, squeezable, formally great-haired, Deano. And that is the heart of why I write these words.
Dean is truly one of the kindest, genuine, generous, and hilarious individuals I have had the pleasure to call a friend. I’ll start there.
Fifteen years ago I worked closely with him as we made a wholehearted attempt to build and grow the Wicked Irish brand. We hustled T-shirts from Lowell to New York to Chicago to South Bend, Indiana (yes, Notre Dame!). While we had some successes and victories, we passed it along to some more capable hands. Those were great times and when I really got to know Dean. And we had a ball every step of the way.
What I learned was what a man of character (and what A CHARACTER!) Dean is.
Often seen with a big cigar in his chops or a golf club in hand, Dean is a dreamer and a believer. Dean is an optimist and a glass-is-half-full type to the extreme. He believes in hard work, commitment, and passion. Passion is all facets of his life. Passion for his family and friends, passion for causes, passion for life. And Dean’s passion is what has made many of those dreams come true.
Did you know Dean has been a PROFESSIONAL golf Caddy for many years now? He has walked alongside and carried the bag for the game’s elite. He has walked the hallowed grounds of Augusta National at The Masters. He has been in locker rooms with golf’s greatest. He has been the right-hand man in the front row as young, budding amateurs became Champions achieving their dreams. You can’t tell me Dean’s energy and spirit didn’t inspire and lift them up in their biggest professional moments? Not a coincidence.
Dean has made a once sketch-pad-logo into a legitimate and ‘cool’ lifestyle company. The Dynamite Brand is here to stay and it is all fueled by Dean’s fervor and never-quit attitude.
I think the greatest part of it all is that EVERYONE roots for Dean and his success. People are fans of Dean and wish him well at every turn of his journey. In a world filled with jealousy and envy, Dean has managed to be beyond that. Why, you ask? Humility. Plain and simple. Chapter and verse.
Like all of us, Dean has had difficult trials and tribulations in his life. Some dark and dreary days when it was difficult for him to see the light at the end of that tunnel, but he certainly has. Through grit, determination, discipline, and sacrifice. Just celebrating his 21st year of sobriety, Dean’s story is one we can all relate to, get on board with, and stand behind.
Dean will likely be embarrassed about reading these words about himself, but they are all very true and very real.
DYNAMITE husband. DYNAMITE father. DYNAMITE friend. DYNAMITE entrepreneur.
DYNAMITE HUMAN.
REAL MEN.
#collecting
