Dale “Mad Dog” Messmer will share his harrowing life story and brutally honest advice to Madison students during Red Ribbon Week.

Dale 'Mad Dog' Messmer

Messmer’s STOP, or Straight Talk Outreach Program, has been endorsed numerous U.S. law enforcement agencies, juvenile courts and school systems. His message’s emphasis is “Choices.” “I made some bad ones … and paid the price,” he said.

Messmer’s schedule on Oct. 23 includes Liberty Middle School, 8:20 and 10 a.m.; James Clemens High School, 10 a.m.; St. John the Baptist Catholic School, 12:30 p.m.; and Discovery Middle School, 2 p.m.

During his turbulent life, Messmer was medically/honorably discharged from the U.S. Marines. He then worked as a mercenary, bounty hunter, bodyguard, pilot, stuntman, actor and was even a Screen Actor’s Guild member.

However, his most infamous notoriety was appearing on the FBI’s most wanted list for 18 months. He was involved in various legitimate business enterprises that eventually lead to him smuggling drugs in his own aircraft for the infamous Pablo Escobar Cocaine Cartel.

Messmer was convicted of numerous crimes, ranging from money laundering, cocaine smuggling and distribution to possession of automatic weapons and explosives.

Messmer spent almost 11 years in maximum-security prisons in four states. “I will share some hard-learned lessons, so you can learn from my experiences and not have to learn the hard way,” he said.

After his release from prison, Mad Dog founded STOP to take his message to more than 1 million youth in more than 1,700 schools and youth-oriented organizations in 41 states in the last 17-plus years. He is a regular guest on “The Maury Povich Show” for managing at-risk teens at a boot camp.

Messmer hopes to give youth an example of what not to choose in life, so they won’t have to learn about the dangers of drugs, gangs, violence, prison and death the hard way.

Event sponsors are PTAs at Liberty, James Clemens and Discovery; St John’s Catholic School; Madison City PTA Council; and Madison Police Foundation.

For more information, visit mad-dog.org.