Marvin Donald “Don” DeLong III, USMC Corporal
Don was born and raised in Houston, Texas, spending most of his life in and around the city, with some childhood years also spent in Alabama. Active, athletic, and happiest outdoors, Don grew up running, climbing, and playing every sport he could, football, basketball, and later softball as an adult. His energetic youth and love of teamwork naturally carried him toward military service. Inspired by a desire to serve his country and build a strong future through the educational programs the military offered, Don enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.
Don completed boot camp in San Diego, followed by further training at Camp Pendleton, and Camp Johnson (just outside Camp Lejeune), before being stationed in Beaufort, South Carolina. He deployed several times during his service. But in January 1994, shortly after arriving in Japan, his life changed in an instant. A late-night arrival delayed the movement of unit equipment and supplies, which meant the following morning brought a bit of downtime after the long journey. With physical fitness always a priority, Don and a group of fellow Marines organized a football game on a field near the barracks. On his fifth catch, another player landed on his foot. The impact caused a severe Lisfranc dislocation through the arch, broke several bones, and set off a long chain of medical complications.
What followed were multiple surgeries on his left foot, including pins, screws, and a later fusion requiring bone taken from his hip. For six months, he was unable to put weight on the leg and relied on a wheelchair, often needing to keep his foot elevated. The injury caused progressive damage throughout his lower body, ultimately resulting in chronic back pain, sciatica, and herniated disks at L4–L5 and L5–S1. In 2015, bone growth inside the spine began cutting into nerves, requiring a laminectomy. Although the Marine Corps had been Don’s long-term plan, he aimed to transition from enlisted to officer through the MECEP program. His injuries forced a medical discharge after 2 years, 3 months, and 10 days of service.
As his condition worsened over time, Don became less active and found himself missing more family events and gatherings than he could count. The losses built slowly, affecting mobility, social life, and the identity he once had, which led to periods of isolation and depression. Even today, despite his outward appearance, pain makes daily tasks difficult. Driving is painful. Standing for long periods, even something as enjoyable as cooking breakfast with family on weekends, is limited by what his body will allow. But Don has always tried to stay positive. He believes that joy or sadness doesn’t change his condition, so choosing optimism makes the hard days easier.
After leaving the Marines, Don worked in automotive repair, construction, and IT. A layoff in 2021 due to the increasing pain and time needed for medical care forced another major transition. He has relied heavily on the steady support of his family, including his wife and his twin 20-year-old daughters, who have grown up watching their father adapt with grit and humor.
Despite the challenges, Don continues to look for ways to stay connected and give back. He participates in Military Broadcast Radio, a veteran-run network of podcasts and music shows. During an interview with Denver Divers on the program, he learned about adaptive scuba diving, reached out to John Sherman of Denver Divers (a Dive Pirates Chapter), who immediately referred him to the Dive Pirates Foundation. The idea immediately resonated.
Don has always loved the water. In high school, he trained in lifeguard skills, and he has long dreamed of learning to scuba dive. The peace, the marine life, the serenity, these things have called to him for years. But what truly motivated him to pursue training was learning about the pain-relieving benefits of scuba diving. The weightlessness eases pressure on nerves and joints and offers a kind of freedom he rarely experiences on land.
To Don, scuba diving means hope: hope for pain relief, hope for camaraderie, and hope for rediscovering the active, adventurous spirit he had before injury.
His family may tease him for wanting to take on such a big challenge, but they understand that this is who he is: driven, determined, and ready to prove that he still has more living to do. With the Dive Pirates Foundation, Don is eager to enter the water, experience a world he has only imagined, and begin a new chapter that brings both healing and possibility. Don and his buddy/nephew Matthew will be training with Davy Jones Explorers.
