ˈæftɚ hɪz nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɛvən ɡɹˌædʒuːˈeɪʃən fɹʌm mˈɔːɹs hˈaɪ skˈuːl ɪn sˌæn dɪˈeɪɡoʊ hiː ɐtˈɛndᵻd sˌæn dɪˈeɪɡoʊ sˈɪɾi kˈɑːlɪdʒ ænd sˈɜːvd ɪnðə kˌælɪfˈoːɹniə kˌɑːnsɚvˈeɪʃən kˈɔːɹ æz ɐ kɹˈuːliːdɚ fɹʌm nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti ˈeɪt tə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti nˈaɪn.
After his 1997 graduation from Morse High School in San Diego he attended San Diego City College and served in the California Conservation Corps as a crewleader from 1998 to 1999.