Dan grew up in Modesto, California. At Downey High School, he was elected student body president twice and earned varsity letters in football, basketball, and golf. He graduated with a 4.20 GPA. Even as a child, he lived by his motto: “Do not accept mediocrity in any aspect of your life.”

Accepted to three service academies, Dan chose the United States Military Academy at West Point. He graduated in 2007, ranking 23rd in a class of 968. After completing Ranger and Airborne schools, he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. His unit deployed to Iraq in October 2008. On March 7, 2009, Dan died in Tikrit, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an explosive device struck his vehicle.

His legacy endures through his family, friends, fellow soldiers, and the Daniel Hyde Memorial Foundation.