United States Navy Commander CDR Teddy Go Tan was born in Manila, Philippines. He is the fourth of six children, born to parents who instilled in him and his siblings a strong work ethic, resilience, and the ability to grow roots wherever they are planted. The family was very tight-knit, had a deep love and appreciation for food, and prided themselves on being there for others in their time of need. Tan loved to learn and was curious about the mechanics of how things worked. He loved to tinker and disassemble all kinds of things, but especially electronics. He also loved martial arts, bodybuilding, and he taught himself to play multiple musical instruments. Tan and his wife, Laura, met in 1998 in Millington, Tennessee, while he was enlisted. She made the first move by finding a way to get her number to Tan through his boss. After one date, they were inseparable.
In February of 1992, Tan enlisted in a program that involved joining the U.S. Military and a grant of U.S. citizenship. Knowing that this was his shot to make a big change he worked very hard to get accepted, passing tests with flying colors. He was accepted and with only a hundred dollars in his pocket and a duffle bag of clothes, he embarked on the adventure of a lifetime to begin his Navy career, working his way up from mopping floors to becoming an officer. Tan chose this country and vowed to protect it throughout his career. He received his citizenship in 1999 in a private ceremony. Throughout his career, Tan was involved in Antarctic Development Squadron Six, Navy Personnel Command Officer, Naval Ocean Processing Facility-Dam Neck and Patrol Squadron 26, among many others he served in multiple warzones including Afghanistan and Iraq. . Tan loved being able to see the world and work with the best of the best. He enjoyed moving to new places and experiencing different things and cultures. His goals were to become a U.S. citizen, which he achieved, and to see all seven continents of the world.
While on deployment with special forces overseas, Tan became ill. He pushed through throughout his entire deployment, however, upon arriving home, he began noticing small symptoms that he brushed off. The doctors believe that the illness he contracted while deployed triggered a rare auto-immune response that attacked his cerebellum. One day, Tan walked into the emergency room and four months later, he was in a wheelchair. His life as he knew it was changed forever. His cerebellum has been impaired permanently, rendering him unable to walk without assistance, and wheelchair bound in order to maintain his independence. Tan is still on his journey to recovery, however, he will not be able to regain the functions he has lost. He works very hard to maintain his abilities and participates in various therapies. His main focus is to be around his family and make sure they know how loved they are.
Currently, Tan spends a lot of time on the computer, researching. He has a long list of hobbies that he would love to try. While still recovering, he puts a lot of his energy into his family. In the future, Tan is excited to start a new therapy that has shown some benefit in clinical trials abroad. Tan and his family are very grateful to Tunnel to Towers for gifting them a mortgage-free smart home so that he can live in an accessible and inclusive environment that fits his needs. His children will grow roots in their new home, learn to drive there, graduate high school in their town, and eventually bring Tan’s grandchildren to visit on the weekends and holidays. Tan would like others to know that he is blessed; he has the love of his beautiful wife, his family, his friends, and his two beautiful sons that make him very proud. He was accepted into a country that gave him a chance and allowed him to serve for 31 honorable years.