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Crusader Chronicles
Heather and Daniel Daglio '90
Mount St. James was the setting for the beginning of life together for Heather (Innes) and Daniel Daglio, both members of the class of 1990. Heather — a French major — and Dan, a physics major and ROTC student, met junior year. And the rest is history.
Today, home base for the Daglios is Winchester, Mass., the town where Heather grew up. Heather and Dan are parents of two children, Ally and Nicky, ages 11 and 10, respectively. The family is currently separated for a year while Dan serves in Iraq with the United States Navy. In this ‘conversation,’ the couple graciously shared their reflections on the HC days, life since, and life today as the family serves our country.
By Maura Fredey ’94
Q: What drew you to HC when deciding on a college?
Heather: I had planned for years to attend Middlebury College because of their strong language program, however my folks suggested (insisted, in fact) that we look at other schools too. I took one step into Fenwick Hall, and the course of my life changed. I fell in love instantly with the school, and further research into its history and academic record sealed the deal. I was deferred from early decision. (There were actually six other students from my high school class — Winchester High, 1986 — who went to Holy Cross that year!) Ultimately (thank goodness) I was accepted.
Dan: I was fortunate to get a NROTC scholarship. Holy Cross had a strong Navy program to go with the great academics — and a beautiful campus, of course.
Q: How did you meet?
Heather: I had seen Dan walking around campus; he stood out as he often had to wear his Navy uniform. We finally met one night at Maguires and had a follow-up date two nights later at the Elm Street Draught House. We saw the movie Beaches. (I'm sure he'll kill me for telling this, but he may have gotten welled up at the end of the movie. I knew then that I was in love!) We have been together ever since.
Q: What paths did you follow after college?
Heather: We eloped in Hawaii! For the first year out, Dan and I were separated by distance. He had to attend 6 months of dive training in Florida, followed by 6 months of officer training in Newport, Rhode Island. During that time, I worked at the Boston Financial Group as an Investor Relations Manager. Then I followed him to Hawaii where I worked for the Bank of Hawaii as a Personal Trust Officer. Upon our return home, I worked for several years at The Boston Company as a Business Analyst, but stopped working once we had our first child. For the past 6 years I have been teaching preschool, which I have enjoyed more than any of the business jobs. This job has also given me the opportunity to be home with our kids, who are in 5th and 6th grades and, like most kids, are very busy with friends, sports, and activities!
Dan: I was commissioned in the Navy and spent the next four years as an active duty Diving and Salvage Officer, mostly in Pearl Harbor. Following my service, I was accepted into a training program in the securities business, and I was recruited to go to Morgan Stanley in 1997. I am a Senior Vice President/Wealth Advisor in the Boston office while maintaining my commission as a Commander in the Naval Reserves.
Q: With Dan serving in Iraq, your family deals with the country’s status at war in a very intimate way every single day. How do you cope with this reality?
Heather: The separation is obviously difficult, but for me, the worry is far worse. I try to limit how much war coverage I watch on the news, though that is often hard to do. However, there is the bigger issue to deal with — public opinion. Like most others, this war has been surrounded by much controversy. And yet, in spite of the often negative sentiment about the war itself, the troops have received overwhelming support from the general public. I am often brought to tears by the outpouring of love, kindness, help and support offered to us, frequently from complete strangers.
Also important to note is Dan's role in the war. He was brought over there to act as the Officer in Charge of Partnership and Transition with the Iraqi Army for a Counter-IED (Improvised Explosive Device) Coalition Joint Task Force. Bottom line — he has developed and is now executing a program to transfer counter-IED responsibility from us to the Iraqis. Given that our ultimate goal is for the Iraqis to take control of their country, Dan's role and function will have a direct impact in realizing this objective. Pretty cool.
Dan: The tough part is being separated from family, friends, and business associates. The work is sometimes very interesting and other times quite mundane, but it ends up being all consuming for better or worse. In fairness, I really am fortunate in that the hardest part of this conflict has been shouldered by others, and may, in fact, be passing.
Q: Heather, you have mentioned the strength your children give you. What advice can you give about how to cope during stressful times?
Heather: Hmmm…not really sure what advice to give. Dan has served in the Navy Reserves for almost 18 years now, so our kids have grown up with his military commitment, and the pride we all feel about his service to our country. My brother, who is an Army Intelligence Officer, just returned from serving a year in Northern Iraq, so we had some deployment experience. However, nothing can truly prepare you, and we were shocked and saddened when Dan was called. But above all else, we were proud. And our kids just got it. Not once have they gotten angry with him for leaving. They are sad, but they have a great perspective and understanding of the situation. As I overheard my son saying to one of his friends, "My dad's not 'warring' with anyone. He's helping to make it safer so the Iraqi kids can play soccer and stuff outside without getting hurt."
Q: What from your Holy Cross experience plays a role in your life today?
Heather: A great husband. Just kidding...sort of. We have an incredible network of friends from Holy Cross, and a wonderful education to draw from.
Dan: Holy Cross is a place where I think students and faculty alike strive to be a part of something bigger than themselves. That bond really connects alumni.
Q: How can families in local communities reach out to and support military families in meaningful ways?
Heather: Kind words of support. It means so much to the kids and me when people actually thank us for Dan's service.
Dan: Military families really get a huge amount of support from both their community and the military itself these days, which is terrific. I do encourage people to look at military charities devoted to supporting wounded veterans, including Wounded Warriors and the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Memorial.
Q: What’s your most memorable experience or who is the person who had the biggest influence on you from Holy Cross?
Heather: There was that fateful night at Maguires, and a cute boy in uniform.
Dan: The person who had the biggest influence on my life was Commander Paul Bennett who was the Executive Officer at the NROTC unit during my first two years. He became my mentor through inauspicious circumstances as he chaired a board that was held to potentially revoke my NROTC scholarship. After my first semester freshman year, my military attitude was rated unsatisfactory for rather compelling reasons, resulting in a board where 2 of 3 Officers present voted in favor of my dismissal. CDR Bennett reviewed my strong grades, and said to me "Don't ever make me regret doing this." He then overruled the advice of the board members, and as the chairperson kept my scholarship, and by extension, my Naval career intact.
View photo of the Daglio Family (.jpg)
(left to right) Dan, Ally, Heather, and Nicky
Maura Fredey ’94 is a member of the GAA Board of Directors Communications Committee
To suggest a friend or classmate – or yourself! – for a future conversation, e-mail alumni@holycross.edu.