Dylan Micheal Perry knew how to work. His parents, Joseph and Jill, instilled that value in him at a young age in the hopes that their son would be able to raise himself out of the poverty that they endured.

From his birth on Halloween 1978 in Ann Arbor, MI, to his graduation from high school, his parents urged him to be the best that he could be. He understood that if he was to advance his education, he would have to excel in all areas, but that the best ticket to a good school would be an outstanding history as an athlete.

At one point, when he was 15, Dylan almost threw away all of his hard work. He got involved with a gang in Detroit and was caught up in a tragic attempt to rob a filling station. During the robbery, the leader of the gang, a fellow name Jimmy, shot at the attendant and grazed him. The attendant, armed with a shotgun, took aim at Dylan and without thinking, Dylan ducked behind Jimmy making him a human shield. Jimmy was shot dead on the spot. Fearing for his life, Dylan took off running. Since the only person who died was a known gang member, and the attendant foiled the robbery attempt, the police didn't look too far into the event, and Dylan escaped prosecution. The greater tragedy was that Jimmy left behind a young daughter. Dylan vowed that he would find a way to care for the child in secret, making sure that she never wanted for anything.

After his frightening brush with crime, Dylan redoubled his efforts to become a success. He applied himself and lettered in three sports during his high school career ... basketball, football and baseball. He rounded out his achievements by serving as vice president of his class and was crowned king of his senior prom.

Dylan received a scholarship in football and basketball to Michigan where he studied law and criminology. Unfortunately, he did not include business classes in his studies, and his attempt to start a private investigation firm upon graduation failed miserably. Dylan found himself without his business and floundering under a mountain of debt. With the failure of his business came the loss of his home and his dream of making a better life for himself and his family. The final blow came when he realized his large circle of friends closed ranks on him once he was no longer the successful fellow who could pick up the tab after a big night on the town. The crushing guilt that plagued him over Jimmy's death and his young daughter pushed Dylan into an even deeper depression over his failure.

Dejected and rejected, Dylan took stock of his life and decided he had two options. He could lie down and wait for everything to end, or he could find someplace where he had no history, turn away from his past hurts and disappointments, and begin again. This time, he would ensure his success by depending on himself alone.

So with his last $300, he hopped a plane to Morada hoping to start his own Martial Arts Academy. He wasn't an expert in the field by any means, but he knew with hard work and determination he could turn this dream into a financial and personal reality. Jimmy's daughter would be cared for. And then, if he chose, he could return to his home, help his family and show those who abandoned him that he had risen from the ashes to become something they were not ... a truly self-made man of power and substance.