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In this post, you get to meet the protagonist of Operation Shadow Box, Victor Chavez. Learn in his words and his voice about what led him to be where he is now.

1. What are your basic statistics?

Like what do I look like? How old am I? Okay. My name is Victor Emilio Chavez. I check in at a shade over six feet, like six feet, one inch or something like that. My heritage? Some think it’s interesting. Me? Not necessarily. I’m half Navajo, a quarter Japanese, and a quarter Filipino. So I’ve got the olive skin tones, dark eyes, and black hair. I like to keep in shape by working out just about every day. I have to say it’s also helped me keep my sanity as of late. So far as how I dress, jeans, chinos, T-shirts, button-down shirts, and golf shirts are usually what I wear. Oh, and I do have a favorite leather jacket. Doesn’t every guy?

2. What are your likes and dislikes?

I probably like more things than dislike. I like sports, more playing than watching unless it’s Arizona football. Doesn’t matter what. I can do team sports as well as solo stuff like working out. I enjoy cooking too. And interior design. Surprised you, didn’t I? Mom was an interior designer, and she passed on a lot of good information to me over the years. I didn’t realize I had a knack for it until my ex-wife, Olivia, and I split. Then when I had to redecorate, I found I was actually pretty good at it.

In terms of dislikes, I seem to have a lot too. Big cities and pretty much anything related to them like the smog, the crowds, the airheads, the fakes, especially my current client, Staci Logan. I probably shouldn’t say that.

3. What is most precious to you and why?

That’s hard to think about. Thanks to my shutterbug tendencies with the camera, I have lots of pictures of her. When she died sixteen months ago, I kept several. I also have the deep blue sweater I gave her for her birthday that night I first kissed her. A strand of pearls she loved as well. And her engagement ring. All of those reside on the glass bookshelf I have in my apartment. If Staci ever saw that, she’d suggest that I light candles and worship my dead.

4. Who has impacted you the most and why?

That’s a tough one. Obviously, my parents impacted me. They’ve been gone now for six years, and I miss theme fiercely, especially right now when I really crave the advice and comfort only a parent can offer. But Gary Walton, my best friend, has had a huge impact on my life. Matter of fact, it runs deeper than that because I totally trust him with my life.

5. If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be?

Pensive, maybe. Maudlin? Something along those lines.

6. What is your greatest strength and weakness?

That’s a good question. One of each, huh? Okay, leadership is my greatest strength, especially because it enfolds a lot of the strengths that I can discuss like keeping calm, loyalty and keeping focused. Miles told me—right before he asked for my resignation from the Secret Service—that the only thing standing between the First Daughter and her potential kidnappers was my ability to keep her calm.

And a weakness? Loyalty. That can be a weakness if taken too far and if trust is totally blind because loyalty is built on trust.

7. What’s your biggest regret?

That’s a hard one. Hard for me to think about because I feel like there are so many. Probably the biggest was that Rachel and I never got married. She died six months before we were to wed.

8. What drives you?

Honestly? Right now, I’m struggling. What used to drive me was the purpose in my life, of having the opportunity to protect others. Sure, I’m doing that now, but when I’m protecting people whose biggest concern is breaking a nail while at the pool, I feel like I’m completely useless.

9. What do you want the most? What do you fear the most?

What I wanted so badly was to build my life with Rachel by marrying and having children. Well, that’s not going to happen now. And the fears show up, usually at four or five in the morning when I hard time getting to sleep because of my messed-up schedule. It’s been sixteen months since I lost everything. I’m not past Rachel. Hasn’t it been long enough?

10. What are three things you want people to learn from Operation Shadow Box?

That’s a tough one without revealing too much about what happens. First, God never leaves us in a static situation. We remain that way by our own choosing. Second, never take those around you for granted. Third, love is an action that requires a sacrifice.

I have not received any compensation for writing this post. The work mentioned in this post is of my own writing. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”