02:22
Ray Kelly Highlight
A lot of people don't think about what makes them happy or what they want to do. They do it because their father did it; they go to the family business or they go to the family school.
About Ray
- He grew up on the west side of Manhattan, back when it was still a dangerous place.
- After graduating from college, he joined the NYPD's first police cadet program marketed to college grads.
- He immediately loved police work-says that the adrenaline rush of responding to a call excites him.
- All three of his older brothers had joined the Marine Corps, so when he was offered a commission to their officer program, he accepted.
- Left the NYPD for three years to serve in the Vietnam War, but immediately returned after his active duty was over.
- From there, he quickly rose through the ranks; he was promoted to captain, and then he was elected commissioner for two terms.
- Says that everyone he knows who chose a career based on salary is not very happy.
- Urges road-trippers to think about why they love what they love, and to make sure they're not just following someone else's career path.
