Steve D’Argenio spoke to a handful of students as part of West Essex’s breakout panels with veterans for the school’s Honoring Our Veterans assembly. For the full story on the school’s general assembly, click here.

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After being recruited to play college baseball, Steve D’Argenio realized that school wasn’t for him. He dropped out of school and went back to Community College back at home.  D’Argenio was in and out of different jobs. He really didn’t know what he wanted to do with his life.

D’Argenio went to enlist in the United States Marine Corps by himself. He was 18-years-old and could legally enlist. 

“I finally hit rock bottom and couldn’t take it anymore,” D’Argenio said. His parents cried and told him not to go, but there was nothing they could do. At the same time they had never been so proud of him.

D’Argenio went around the world training. He said a highlight of his tour was when he went to Egypt and saw the Sphinx. 

“We went around the world,” D’Argenio said. “It was awesome.” 

After he was in Egypt, he had to go to Haiti to help the survivors of the earthquake. D’Argenio wanted to make a career out of the Marines. He pictured himself being in for longer than he was. But when the news came that he was having a son, all bets were off. He knew he had to be in his son’s life so he got out.