Drake Hamilton is the son ….

Drake Hamilton is the son of Matt Hamilton of Medford. This fall he is planning on entering the Air Force in Texas.

Drake has gone through much more than most kids his age should have to go through.

After losing his mother almost 5 years ago, her memory shines through Drake every day.

“I credit the man I am today because of her,” Drake said.

As a mother of five children, a veterinarian and a therapist his mother, Dawn, showed Drake how to love and respect animals from an early age.

After his mother passed away from a car accident in 2016, he moved back to Rib Lake with his father.

He has worked with bears, lions, snakes, tigers, and alligators. Several years ago, he got the opportunity to work with a biologist in Mississippi as an apprentice. During his time in the apprenticeship, he helped to save a species of rare salamanders.

Drake has a nerve deficiency where he can’t feel pain as much as other people do. So when his right hand got attacked by a diabetic lemur named Ringo, Drake didn’t feel as much pain as most people would. Once he got stitched up, he went right back to work.

Drake has enlisted in the Air Force and is planning to go through basic training this fall in Texas. “Having this scar on my hand almost got me disqualified from getting accepted into the military,” Drake said. “Once I told them the story of what happened, they didn’t believe that that had happened to me. Once they were proven wrong, I got accepted.”

Drake has participated in football for both his freshman and junior years of high school. He didn’t want to risk getting injured his senior year that would in turn limit his chances of getting accepted into the military. Outside of school he enjoys hunting, fishing, and anything that gets him outdoors.

In the past, Drake has had trouble staying focused, but with hard work, he has been able to overcome it.