Every child has a hero.
Mine wasn't an athlete, an actor, or a famous politician. My hero was my father.
His story began on the streets of Brownsville, Texas. At eight years old, he was already working as a shoeshiner to help earn money. Everything he wanted in life he had to earn.
From a very young age, he discovered music. Armed with a guitar, determination, and natural talent, he learned to play on his own. By twelve, he was already performing with musical groups all over South Texas. The musicians who wanted him to play with them had to ask his parents for permission because he was still a child.
A twelve-year-old entering bars and dance halls with a guitar on his shoulder, while most kids his age were worried about homework or baseball games.
As the years passed, music became his profession and his passion. His talent took him to places that little shoeshiner from Brownsville could hardly have imagined. Along the way, he shared the stage with legends like Freddy Fender and Willie Nelson.
But, as impressive as those achievements were, that’s not why he became my hero.
My father taught me lessons that could never be learned from a book.
He taught me the beauty of music and how a song can transport us to another time and place.
He taught me to respect the sea: its strength, its beauty, and its unpredictability.
When he took me fishing, he would share a lesson with me that I have never forgotten.
—Son, you have to learn to be like the sea if you want to succeed.
Then he would point to the waves that came ashore over and over again.
—Do you see those waves? Do they ever stop coming? No. They never stop. No matter what is happening or the circumstances you face, you have to be like those waves. Never stop. Keep pushing forward. Always.
Back then, I thought he was talking about fishing.
Years later, I understood he was talking about life.
He taught me the game of golf, a sport that tests character and challenges the mind as much as the body.
And, above all, he taught me to never give up.
When I was young, I didn’t fully appreciate those lessons. Like most kids, I just assumed my father knew things. It was only later that I realized what he was really teaching me was resilience.
Today I understand that those teachings became the foundation of my life: the discipline needed to endure tough times, the determination to keep going when everything seemed impossible, and the ability to stand firm when the pressure increased.
Without those lessons, I doubt I would have survived the enormous challenges that awaited me years later. The demands of a career in law enforcement, complex investigations, dangers, setbacks, and moments when failure seemed just around the corner required the same mindset my father taught me from a young age.
Never give up.
Long before entering the DEA Academy, long before carrying a badge, my training had already begun. It started in South Texas, with a father who taught by example.
Today, at seventy-nine years old, he continues to inspire those around him.
When I look back, I can attribute many of my achievements to the lessons he taught me. And when I think of heroes, I immediately think of him.
The boy who shined shoes on the streets of Brownsville.
The young musician who walked into a bar with a guitar.
The man who taught me to love music, respect the sea, and above all, never give up.
My father.
My first hero.
Leo Silva is a former special agent in charge of the DEA (Monterrey Office) and author of Reign of Terror and El Reinado de Terror. With decades of experience on the front lines of the fight against transnational cartels, Silva offers readers an intimate look at some of the most dangerous operations targeting high-profile leaders and organizations.
Since the release of his memoirs, Silva has become a recognized voice in the media and on the speaking circuit. His story and analysis have been featured in interviews with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jorge Ramos on Univision (Así veo las cosas), three-time Emmy-winning journalist Paco Cobos (La Entrevista), and Ana Paulina (Voces con Ana Paulina), where his participation generated millions of views. He has also been featured on prominent platforms like the podcast Cops and Writers with Patrick J. O'Donnell, Game of Crimes with Steve Murphy, and Llamados a Servir with Roberto Hernández.
Through his books, lectures, and media appearances, Silva continues to shed light on the realities of organized crime, the work of law enforcement, and the human cost of the war on drugs, while sharing lessons of resilience, leadership, and truthfulness.
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