Dan Cross

Real Resilience narrates the inspirational journey of Dan Cross, starting from the pivotal moment that profoundly altered his life and that of his family. It takes you through the transformative path he had to carve out for himself and the valuable lessons he learnt along the way.

Back in 2015, Dan, an IT specialist, found himself 200 miles from home when he received a late-night phone call from his wife, Nikki. That call marked the beginning of his life as a widower and the sole caregiver of his two children, who had been courageously protected by Nikki. Today, Dan has a flourishing career in aviation IT and has co-founded two charitable organisations aimed at providing support to those grappling with grief.

Dan’s narrative serves as a blueprint for re-shaping one’s mindset, enabling them to surpass their perceived limitations, even when life takes unexpected turns, forcing them to confront the unknown. By appearing on the reality TV show SAS: Who Dares Wins, Dan sought to demonstrate that an ordinary individual could endure trauma similar to what renowned figures like Foxy, Ant, Billy, and Ollie had gone through.

He has seen first-hand that services for men who are experiencing grief or major life changes and events aren’t set up to make the acceptance of support as easy as it should be.

Dan started his learning through victim support training, becoming a peer supporter and noticing how quickly bonds can be formed if you are talking to someone who has shared the same experiences. He used that ethos to form a concept for a new national charity to help support grieving men and a smaller, more intimate charity for children.

Using research in the US on wilderness therapy and PTSD, and his own experiences of using exercise to help focus his thoughts and let them out, the charities were born. Dan’s concepts work!

In his discussions about subjects such as the challenges of single parenting as a father, supporting traumatised children, and achieving emotional resilience through physical awareness, Dan’s insights on resilience provide a real-world perspective that should not be overlooked.