Michael P. Murphy - Early Life

Early Life

Murphy was born May 7, 1976 in Smithtown, New York to Irish American parents Maureen and Daniel Murphy, a former assistant Suffolk County district attorney. He was raised in Patchogue and as a boy attended Saxton Middle School where he played youth soccer and pee-wee football with his father as coach. In high school, he continued playing sports and took a summer job as a lifeguard at the Brookhaven town beach in Lake Ronkonkoma. He returned to the job every summer through his college years.

Murphy was known to his friends as "Murph" and he was known as "The Protector" in his high school years. In 8th grade he protected a special needs child who was being shoved into a locker by a group of boys. He also protected a homeless man who was collecting cans. He chased away the attackers and helped the man pick up his cans.

In 1994 Murphy graduated from Patchogue-Medford High School and left home to attend The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State). He graduated from Penn State in 1998 with degrees in both political science and psychology.

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