A lot of people grow up searching the world, looking at comic books or TV screens to find their heroes, but I was blessed with the rare privilege of being raised by mine. If you know my dad, J.D. Nolin, I don’t have to spend a single second explaining the kind of man he is, his character, his strength, and his reputation walk before him in everything he does. He is the man who built the foundation of who I am today. He taught me the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, and the vital life lessons of when to keep my mouth shut, and exactly when it’s time to stand your ground and take things a completely different route.

Very few people in this world can genuinely call their father one of their closest, truest friends. Fewer still get to walk the exact same professional path, and certainly not in the intense, high-stakes world of law enforcement. Dad gave me my very first ride-along when I was just a wide-eyed thirteen-year-old boy, sparking a lifetime of shared adventures and an unbreakable brotherhood. Not many sons can say they’ve stood back-to-back with their dad in a chaotic street fight against four thugs on the side of the road, but we did, and there is no one else on this earth I would rather have by my side when the world gets crazy.

That bond only deepened as the years went on. The personal and professional success I have been blessed with in the investigative business simply would not exist without him. He is the master who sharpened my instincts, teaching me how to use my mind to solve the complex questions and heavy cases that others completely gave up on. He is such an irreplaceable, magnetic presence that he’s even become a permanent fixture on our guys' trips. My closest friends didn't just welcome him along; they deeply cherished everything he brought to the table, filling a sacred void for the guys who no longer have their own fathers around to guide them.

To say I am incredibly grateful, blessed, or lucky doesn't even begin to touch the surface of what this man truly means to my soul. Words fail to do it justice. I have never walked this earth for a single day of my life wondering if I was alone. I have always known, with absolute, unwavering certainty, that there is one man I could call at any hour of the night who would throw himself into the fire for me, no questions asked.

Dad, I could not imagine getting married to Brittany without you being their with us. My heart is so full knowing that I get to share you with Brittany, and I am so deeply honored as you officially become a father to her, too. Brittany and I love you more than words could ever hope to express, and we thank you from the absolute bottom of our hearts for your endless, lifetime of support.