Biography & Origins
My career has been spent in the field of social services, working with poor and struggling individuals and families. It may not pay much, but it pays well. There is something uplifting about hearing the relief in the voices of those who have allowed you to make a difference in their lives.
Believe it or not, in the beginning my goal was to eliminate my life’s work. Imbued with idealism I dared to imagine the day when those like me were no longer needed, but as years come and go, and as sure as the sun rises, the appeals from those in need never seem to diminish.
I often found myself praying for a solution, or at least some message of hope. We all want to feel our lives have meaning. We toss pebbles into the lake of daily challenges and peer out hoping to make a ripple every now and then.
I believe that LIVESEMPER FI was born out of my prayers and my desire to make a positive difference. I want to use it as a vehicle for good, to make a ripple in the pond. Please toss in a pebble and join me.
LIVESEMPER FI—always faithful—is a gift I received some time ago. Although I often refer to this journey as “Realizing A Dream”, a dream is not quite what it was, but it was also not a vision. Several years ago, I somehow found myself somewhere in between.
A few summers ago, after midnight, I fell into a deep sleep—the deepest and most restful sleep that I could ever remember, at least in many, many years—but it did not last for long.
I was soon awakened by a voice. It was strong and clear, “live…semper fi; Live…Semper Fi; LIVE…SEMPER FI”. The voice rang out, louder and louder with each subsequent charge. A part of me wanted to resist and return to sleep, but I needed to find out who—or what—this was, and where this voice was coming from. When I sat up and began to look around, the voice continued, and it was undeniable; someone was there, almost shouting now, a fourth time, … “LIVE…SEMPER FI”. The voice seemed to be both in my head and all around me all at the same time. I did not see anyone, but in my mind, I did acknowledge that this message was important, something significant, and then suddenly the voice was silent. I listened carefully to hear if someone was coming or going, and I quickly pulled myself up to check further. Nothing was out of place. The only thing that remained was that refrain ringing in my head. That is the night that LIVESEMPER FI was born. So, maybe it was not exactly a dream, or a vision, but I knew it was something I had to share.
For several months I contemplated ways to share this message with the world.
I am often asked about the link between LIVESEMPER FI and the U.S. Marine Corps motto, “Semper Fi”, but the fact is we are in no way affiliated, but at times I do feel a connection. I have always considered the United States Marine Corps to be a symbol
of strength and peace—to keep the world from falling apart. I would love for LIVESEMPER FI to be a symbol of strength and peace—to bring the world together.
Indeed, as a tribute to my father, and the others who fought in the Korean War, we have designed and created a commemorative cap emblazoned with the name KOREAS on the front, with a horizontal line through the “S” to symbolize unity.
Wouldn’t it be great if this became a rallying cry that no one could ignore?
My father was born into a family of poor sharecroppers. Like many others my father was drafted to fight in a foreign land only to return to continue a fight for freedoms at home. He was not always happy with the way he was treated, either in the military
or when he returned home, but that never stopped him from teaching us to treat others with love and respect.
I am grateful, not only for the progress we have made but for the guidance of that great generation that was wise enough to teach us everything but how to give up.
They always seemed to finish everything they started, but as we get older, we realize they were only building a foundation. So many challenges remain, including KOREA.
As the torch is passed, we must remind ourselves that not all races are individual sprints, and then ask if a younger generation will accept the baton. The torch we inherit is always precarious in the hands of men who may choose to either singe or shed light. Both at home and abroad, let us continue to choose light. That is why, at LIVESEMPER FI, we wanted to do a little something to show that the baton will be passed, and that we will not forget those who fought, including the Korean people.
Like Mission Joseph we would also love for our KOREAS cap to become a symbol of family unity and peace.
In essence, it is a prayer to our leaders to come and stand beside us to find a better way.
There are so many causes in the world that deserve to be highlighted, but we can only begin with the first step.
We believe the only reason to build a brand is to change the world, and we aspire to do well by doing good.
Our goal is to bring to your life both quality and inspiration. Whenever you want to take on a challenge—or refocus yourself—we want you to embrace LIVESEMPER FI—LSF—as a reminder to stay faithful and connected to your vision and purpose.
With your support we will realize our vision to make LIVESEMPER FI the catalyst to achieve many great things.
Our Most Frequently Asked Questions
Is this really legal?
Well yes, it is legal.
Truthfully, from the night LIVESEMPER FI came to me what lingers in my memory is the incessant internal prodding that never seemed to diminish over time. I felt compelled to move forward with the message. Therefore, I finally decided to take a step forward and apply for the trademark. Legalities were never a concern, until a few weeks later when I received a call from the Pentagon.
I could not fathom why someone from my community would be receiving a call from the Pentagon. I am sure you could imagine what thoughts might be going through my mind. What could I have possibly done? Is this some sort of sick prank?
…This could not be good.
Well, I guess the old saying is true, “Sometimes it’s better when you don’t know any better”—or something like that. I was relieved to discover that I had done nothing wrong, but I was also a bit confused, dumbfounded actually, when I realized that the Pentagon was actually calling to inform me that the U.S. Marine Corps had decided to submit an application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office to register the Semper Fi mark. Miraculously however, the Marine Corps application was
being blocked due to my previously submitted application that was just recently filed for LIVESEMPER FI.
What? Was I hearing this correctly? You are the U.S. government, the Pentagon and the U.S. Marine Corps. How could it be possible that you have never applied for the mark until now? Are you saying I have ownership of the Semper Fi mark?
Needless to say, I did agree to sign an agreement allowing the Marine Corps to register and use the Semper Fi mark while I maintained my separate LIVESEMPER FI mark. So again, yes, through some miracle that I cannot explain, this is legal.
Only in America could something like this happen—or even be allowed to happen. Can there be any doubt that this is a chance that I have been given to do something greater than myself—to finally be able to give back, in a big way? We are grateful to friends willing to support and share, to ensure this journey will reach its goal, and not come to an end.
Now that you know the story of LIVESEMPER FI, please do all you can to support us, and to spread the message. After coming so far, we value your continued support in helping us spread the LIVESEMPER FI message. It is a message we cannot abandon.
I hope that I have conveyed to you our desire to do well by doing good. It is clear to me that LIVESEMPER FI is a gift that I must share. It does not belong to me alone, and we have been blessed to give it away to make the world a better place.
With your support we will have the chance to make that happen.
And we promise to remember to have some fun along the way.
For a healthy dose of fun, check out the three Dad videos below:
Help us to spread the word and share the message of LIVESEMPER FI.
Whenever you dare to face a new challenge—or just refocus yourself—we encourage you to remember it’s okay to take risks, and embrace LIVESEMPER FI as a reminder to stay always faithful and connected to your true vision and purpose.