Born and raised in Ashtabula, Ohio, John Hall was a star wrestler at Ashtabula Harbor High School. He wrestled at Edinburgh University until an arm injury ended his collegiate career, and he had many practice battles with four time Olympic medalist Bruce Baumgartner.

"Back then, I could bench almost 500 pound, so I did it on his leg with one arm," said Hall. "He reached around my waist, picked me upside down, just walked around on the mat. Then, I knew then how humbled I was.

When his wrestling days ended, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and it was off to Parris Island for the physical and emotional test of his life.

"Parris Island to me is an experience," said Hall. "I think every young man graduating high school should have to go through. It will give you discipline. It will give you a direction. It will show you who you really are inside and show you what you can really do when you think you can't do it."

Less than a month after completing combat training, he was on a plane headed to his first combat zone.

"The doors opened at Saudi Arabia," said Hall. "It was like opening an oven, the heat, just 130 degrees. It hits you right in the face. That was a 50 caliber machine gunner. Me and my ammo man ended up digging a trench four-foot deep, two-foot wide, and we would dig up a little sand as well. One of us would sleep at night. The other one would stand with the 50 caliber. And when everything started happening, and they started invading Kuwait, we would see the Scud missiles flying overhead. You just didn't know when it was your time."

Hall's hero is his younger brother Frank. It was 12 years ago when Frank Hall chased a gunman out of Chardon High School, saving lives.

"He was the football coach and teacher that ran the student, the shooter out of the school," said . "I always thought I was the hero, but my younger brother was more of a hero than I ever will be. Being the Marine, I wish I would have been there instead of him. He'd have to take that in his mind - the memory of all those kids being shot. Because I already had that heartache and I've had those dreams, I just wish it could have been me instead of him, so he wouldn't have to go through what he's going through now in his mind."