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Known for its beautiful beaches and vibrant nightlife, it’s no surprise that year after year Miami continues to attract so many visitors looking to enjoy some fun in the sun. Widely portrayed as a go-to tropical timeout from the mundanity of routine, the reality for many of Miami’s natives isn’t quite so sunny. Such was the case for Culinary Specialist Seaman Nicholas Murphy. For him, the name Miami doesn’t conjure images of jet skis and Italian super cars parked along Ocean Ave. In fact, he counts himself one of the fortunate ones who made it out alive.
Nicholas Murphy grew up in Miami’s Liberty Square public housing complex, just a few miles from the 5-star resorts and sun-soaked streets of South Beach. Known throughout South Florida as the “Pork ‘n Beans” because of its infamous orange doors that resemble cans of baked beans, Liberty Square is the city’s grim underbelly, where poverty, crime, and hopelessness are a part of life for those who live there.
The Murphy family immigrated to Miami from the Bahamas with their young family. With few options, they found themselves in what was considered one of the worst neighborhoods in the city. They quickly learned how difficult it was to establish a footing as foreigners in a new country, especially as ones with small children. Like many immigrants, Nicholas’s parents worked hard and did their best to provide for their children, but never seemed able to get ahead.
As the youngest of seven, Nicholas was born into a situation over which he had no control. His childhood would be shaped by the trauma and despair of his environment. Tragedy would become a recurring theme, and in 2013, at ten years old, it struck for the first time. Nicholas’ older brother, Steven, was shot and killed on the streets of Miami. The senseless loss of his brother had a profound effect on him and laid the groundwork for his commitment to getting out. Missing his big brother and watching his parents endure the unimaginable pain of losing a child, Nicholas knew he had a responsibility to do everything he could to ensure his life ended differently.
“Growing up, it was hard,” said Nicholas. “We didn’t have much and we definitely couldn’t afford the nice shoes and stuff, so I got bullied.”
He credits the love and support of his brothers for getting him through the gauntlet that was growing up in the projects, and while he chose an opposite path from his brother Steven, the aspirations of his brother Robbie, who was in college and running track, made a lasting impression on him.
“I wanted to go to college because he went to college,” said Nicholas. “It was just something always on my mind, ‘stay out of trouble, just stay out of trouble’. That voice in my head was the people I lost. They’d say, ‘It’s not the right path for you. Go down a different path’. I would go to church every Sunday and I prayed a lot. I believe in God and I believe there’s a higher purpose.”
Nicholas remained focused and determined throughout his teen years and managed to beat the odds by graduating from Miami Central High School. His parents beamed with pride, but the celebration was short-lived. Later that year, Robbie came home from college for Christmas and was killed in the crossfire of a dispute that didn’t involve him. He was 24. For the second time in seven years, Nicholas and his family were forced to accept an impossibly difficult truth. Robbie, like Steven, wasn’t coming home, and life would never be the same.
Reeling from the shock of losing another brother to the streets, Nicholas found himself at a crossroads. He knew he had to get out, and he knew he had to help improve his family’s situation, but it wasn’t that simple. He struggled to choose between applying to college in hopes of earning a degree that could land him a well-paying job and help support his struggling family, or jumping into the workforce to more quickly contribute financially. He chose what at the time felt like a happy medium and opted for a technical school in Washington State to become a certified flight attendant.
As he settled into his new life, he quickly realized his dream was further from his reach than he imagined. He was surprised to discover that even after graduating, several more years of training and background checks would be required before he’d be employable in the field. Being so far from everyone he loved, and the uncertainty of his future made Nicholas reconsider his approach. He found himself toying with the idea of making an even greater leap of faith to a career that had the potential to satisfy all his wants and his family’s needs, while also providing him an opportunity to serve others. He moved back home to Miami and took some time to reflect. He would daydream about his happiest memories from childhood. Though perhaps not as numerous, these warm little slivers of calm were as comforting as anyone else’s. The ones that stood out the most were those that involved watching and helping his Mother in the kitchen make her famous Bahamian-inspired dishes. It was something of an escape for her, too, a distraction from worry; a distraction from the futility of her other efforts. It all drifted away with the rich aromas of her Caribbean seafood rice that she would make and then sell to friends and neighbors from her food truck. Nicholas would escape to those memories where he found great comfort in the exotic smells and the attention of his Mother. Though far removed from those days, he considered if that’s what he’d been chasing all along, and if such a life was possible for him.
Meanwhile, his sister Schevelan’s constant prodding kept him from getting too comfortable in Miami and losing sight of his goals.
“You really need to think about what you want to do with your life,” said Schevelan. “You saw what happened to your brothers. That can’t be you, too, so you need to find something to do.”
Nicholas had been quietly considering joining the military. There, he could work and go to school while earning a steady paycheck. It wasn’t that absurd of an idea, he thought. Hell, his uncle and cousins did it.
During his extensive research into the various occupations available in the armed services, he came across one that spoke to him. The military needed cooks, chefs, bakers, and every other discipline of the culinary arts. Instantly making the connection to his mother, he thought of it as a way to honor her and the bond they shared, while also fulfilling his dreams. He reached out to local recruiters and collected more information online. His family eventually caught wind of his intentions and the reasons that compelled him, and they reassured him he had their full support, which was the final piece he needed to proceed uninhibited.
“My mother supported my decision to join from the beginning,” said Nicholas. “She was just like, ‘If you’re with it, I’m with it.’”
The military was, of course, no easy way out, but it felt like the right one. After a final gut check, he enlisted with the hope that the U.S. Navy would provide the stability and security he was after, and also a deep purpose he could be proud of. He couldn’t have anticipated then just how much the Navy would reshape his life.
As part of the Navy’s Culinary Specialist program, Nicholas was subjected to a grueling schedule of early mornings, late nights, and tight deadlines. The work was physically demanding and emotionally taxing. Yet, amid these new pressures, something clicked. In the chaos, he rediscovered his passion for cooking. This time, it wasn’t just the glow of nostalgia that inspired him, but the newly discovered sense of pride he had for his work.
“Being a CS is tough,” admits Nicholas. “But, I like it. There is something about cooking for the crew that makes me feel like I’m a part of something bigger, and it reminds me of the dishes my mom cooked when I was growing up, the way food brought people together.”
Despite the great distance between him and his family, the cooking he loved as a child, and for which he was now being paid, served as a connection to his family wherever he found himself.
While the Navy tested his limits in ways he hadn’t expected, it also revealed to him the true resilience he possessed. The constant demands, both physical and mental, showed him he could handle more than he ever thought possible.
“Everyone has their own situations they’re going through,” said Nicholas. “For me, the long hours and missing my family…all that stuff builds up, which is why I pray a lot, just to get it out. Every morning I tell myself today is going to be a positive day.”
His positivity paid off. In the year and a half since joining, Nicholas has nearly achieved the financial stability he always longed for. Between his savings, steady pay, and his enlistment bonus, he found himself in a position to help his parents buy their very first house.
“When my parents finally got the keys to that house, they FaceTimed me,” said Nicholas. “It felt like all the sacrifice was worth it. I saw my mom’s face and I knew it was a new beginning for all of us.”
One might think that seeing his parents into a new home would be mission accomplished for Nicholas, but he’s not done yet.
“My Dad works so much that I rarely see him when I’m home,” said Nicholas. “I’m trying to have him retire early, which is why I work hard to get my PQSs done. I just got one done right now,” he said holding up the rolled packet in his hands. “I want to advance, I want to get MAP’d.”
Since joining the crew of USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), Nicholas has grown more confident, not just as a chef, but as a man. Some of that can be attributed to the guidance he received onboard.
“When I got to Ford, I wasn’t mentally strong, but mentors like AC1 Little and CS1 Allen encourage me and I’m a lot tougher now. My brothers didn’t have mentors. We had our parents, but you’ve got to go through your own life experiences. I learned watching my brothers go through it, and I wanted to try something different. That’s why I’m here today.”
It’s not just his culinary skills or his exemplary military service that define Nicholas’ success, it’s also his undying love for family, his relentless drive to rise above his circumstances, and his unshakeable conviction that a better life was possible if he worked hard enough to make it happen. He overcame inestimable adversity to transform his life and the lives of those closest to him. In doing so, he proved that regardless of one’s circumstances, having goals, a belief in oneself, and a belief in a higher power can see one through even the darkest times.
| Date Taken: | 11.08.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.31.2024 07:55 |
| Story ID: | 488489 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 10 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Taking the Heat, by SN Gladjimi Balisage, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
