Alton Bryant was born December 11, 1966, in Baltimore, Maryland, and lived his childhood moving around in the Baltimore-Washington Metro area. In the tenth grade, his family moved back to NW Baltimore City, where he attended Frederick Douglass High School. Alton graduated Douglass as valedictorian in 1984. Despite having a four-year tuition scholarship to Penn State, he opted to join the United States Marine Corps and left for boot camp two weeks after graduation. Alton spent four years with a couple MATCS (Mobile Air Traffic Control Squadron) units, then later took those talents to the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) as an air traffic control specialist. It was his dream job. He describes it as going to work to play video games all day. One Labor Day evening, Alton was struck by lightning through his headset while working position. Due to the nature of his injuries and condition, Alton was no longer medically qualified to work and was forced to take an early retirement after nearly twenty years in the FAA. Though he still suffers with those symptoms, he has learned how to keep himself very busy. Writing books is only one way he spends his time these days. He is also a Directional Leader (elder) among other things at Dulles Community Church, a director at the Washington West Film Festival (one of only two people who helped start the festival and is still active), an ambassador in the fight against human trafficking with Reset180, a chair of the Stone Ridge HOA's Activity Committee, and a Loudoun County foster parent. Alton is also a full-time student studying for his master's degree in psychology and plans to join or open his own counseling service in the near future. Alton's family consists of his wife, Esther, six adult children (Isaiah, Davonna, Destin, Delano, Deshea, and Alia), a Shih Tsu poodle named Coconut, and two sibling American Shorthair cats, Crumb and Caramel.
