Declan was born in St. James, NY, and graduated from Smithtown High School, class of ‘00. In Jan. 29, 2001, Declan joined the United States Marine Corps, and excelled as a maintenance mechanic/inspector/crew chief in heavy marine helicopter squadron, HMH 466. After his enlistment, Declan acquired his Airframes and Power plants license- the civilian equivalency to his military maintenance designation.

Declan now studies Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Washington, and one day hopes to open his own business, modeling and manufacturing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. In his free time, he enjoys studying Japanese and Artificial Intelligence, and volunteers at the Seattle Youth Mission Drop-in Center every week, to perform outreach and hang out and connect with homeless youth transitioning through the area.