Hello! My name is Tommy Graydon, it's nice to "meet you". My path to the awesome world of 3D modeling and animation is a bit different from most. After high school, way back in 1998, I joined the United States Air Force and became a Firefighter/NREMT-B. I deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, receiving an Outstanding Unit Award with Valor. After eight years, I was Honorably Discharged in 2006. I became a contract firefighter and ultimately got on with a small department in Utah. In 2011, my crew and I arrived to a five car motor-vehicle accident with entrapment on the highway. I was using the spreaders (more commonly known as the Jaws-of-Life) when the seventy pound tool separated from my purchase point under pressure and impacted the lateral side of my right knee. After taking a couple seconds to regain my composure, I was able to free the patient within another four minutes. Though I was in incredible pain, the patient was my priority. Ultimately, I would have seven surgeries on my knee and two years of physical therapy, but, that wasn't the worst part. The career I loved and performed extremely well in was over. I knew I needed to find a new path, and after some deep soul-searching to find what I was passionate about with multiple starts and stops along the way, I finally found and fell in love with 3D. In 2018, I began going to the Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design. In April of 2021, I graduated with Honors, receiving a Bachelor's degree in 3D Animation. I absolutely love working in Maya, Zbrush, Substance Painter, Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Audition, Media Encoder and more!