Danny grew up on Staten Island, in a family under surveillance. As a result, he formed his own set of hybrid ethics, caught between the world of lawbreakers and lawmakers. Though very little is known about the Messer family, Danny openly admits that he has had a very rocky relationship with his older brother, Louie, since a fateful night in 1991. After promising to take Danny to Atlantic City with some of his friends, they stopped off at Giants stadium where he and two others began to severely beat a drug dealer, telling him it was an initiation into the Tanglewood Boys gang. When Danny protested, Louie called him a disgrace and told him to leave. Despite the strained relationship that resulted, Danny would later come to lend money to Louie on more than one occasion.
Danny had a short lived career in the music business, and was at one time an excellent baseball player. Danny played all through school and college, and would have gone on to the majors, but broke his wrist in a fight, which ended his shortstop career. After that, he went to the police academy and graduated first in his class.
Mac personally selected Danny to join his team, which is an honor and responsibility that Danny attempts to live up to every day.
