I am from urban streets and neighborhoods to suburban and wooded ones.

I am from parks and playgrounds, where I spent most of my early life.

I am from a loving mother who works very hard for me.

I am from the banks of the “Rivah Charles” to the town where the “first shot” was fired.

I am from the home of great Boston sports teams and legends, from Bobby Orr and Larry Bird to “Big Papi” and Tom Brady.

I am from hard hits and intense sports, which play a big role in my life.

I am from rink to rink, field to field, diamond to diamond, court to court, and mat to mat.

I am from sticks, helmets, singlets, skates, and cleats, too.

I have many things that I like to do.

I am from getting up early to do the things I love.

I am from many generations of homemade foods from manacotti to burgers, and snicker doodles, too. Believe me when I tell you that this is just a few!

I am from many nicknames from “Stebbs”, to “Fluff”, and “Lil’ Ray Ray”.

I am from many different types of music, which I love to listen to and play on my instruments.

I am from Catholic schools to public ones.

I am from the foliage, and the flowing streams and rivers of the many mountains that I have conquered by hiking and camping.

I am from the rolling Irish hillsides of Sligo and Roscommon to the island of Sicily.

I am from my grandparents’ house, a place where I have spent a lot of my life, from when I was a small child and they used to help take care of me, to the present where I am a young man and I now help take care of them.

I am from the old rusty metal shed with the horse on the top of it that sits in their backyard, to the old yellow refrigerator that hums and sings in their kitchen to this day.