Professional Snapshot

I'm Daniel Wade Heatherly, a passionate and detail-oriented Front-End Web Developer focused on building responsive, visually compelling, and accessible websites. I specialize in HTML and CSS, and am currently advancing my skills in JavaScript and modern frameworks. I enjoy solving design problems through clean code and engaging user experiences—especially with CSS, where I find creative flow in turning complexity into beauty.

Origin Story

My journey into web development began in an unexpected yet meaningful way. I've always been tech-savvy and curious about how things work, though growing up in Oklahoma was a land where tech and web development business professionals were scarce. Out of a passion to know Jesus, live for a higher purpose, and grow my character, I attended a ministry school called Family Of Faith University. It was great for instilling these things, and I would not trade my time there for anything, but it did not assist me financially in the least. Difficulties of income constantly arose through the years, with financial freedom always seeming to evade my grasp. Reaching middle age made it clearer than ever that I needed to quickly and wisely choose a career I could truly dedicate myself to—one that would break me free from the poverty mindset and cycle, allowing me not only to achieve my dreams but also to help others, as I have always desired. I never imagined I'd eventually find such passion and potential in coding—especially front-end development. That changed, at the gym, when I met Vincent Tang, a professional web developer, through our shared interests in b-boying and fitness. We struck up a unique trade: I'd teach him breaking, and he'd teach me coding. At the time, I didn't even know what coding was, but I was open to learning.

Commemoration of Vincent Tang

[February 18, 1991 - August 28, 2025]

In honor and memory of Vincent Luen Wai Tang, the least I can do is attempt to explain the astounding, positive influence he has had on my life. He and I both moved to Tampa almost the exact same time, in the summer of 2019, becoming each other's first friend there. He had moved from Orlando and I from Kansas City, and we met at the gym. While I was practicing b-boy moves, he asked, “Are you a b-boyer?!” It is rare anyone even knows that term, so I knew we were already friends. He offered to teach me coding if I taught him breaking, aka b-boying. Little did I know then how close we would become, how he would shape my life, and how his kind offer would actually be a key to my own financial victory years later.

Vincent was always so friendly, humble, highly intelligent, smiling, helpful, self-motivated, and overall a bright light to everyone around him. He taught himself front end coding in his spare time, through YouTube, Free Code Camp, etc. and quickly rose to becoming the CSS master at his new dev career. I saw him go from couch surfing, when he first moved to Tampa, and his first dev job making over $80K while grinding long hours of work, to his last position making several times more than that with much free time, being able to live at an upscale apartment, travel the world, and do any activities he wanted to try —he was always enjoying a new hobby or travel experience. He was always giving though to everyone, even giving me my first good mouse (G-Force) which became a momento to me starting a dev learning journey. He sent me a podcast of a dev who was also a b-boy, which opened my mind to the possibility of myself actually doing it. I did not realize how fun and welcoming it could be until he invited me to his Tampa Devs Meetups and a hackathon. Everyone there was so collaborative and positive—not a single person seemed to look at me like an outsider. Plus, there was free food, which became a tradition in our circle of friends. Good food always brought us together, whether it was exploring restaurants around Tampa and Orlando or enjoying our favorite pho spot next to the gym.

Through Vincent, I met even more incredible people. He invited me to his housewarming party, where I met Jona, who I instantly clicked with. Jona introduced us to Latin dance socials, where we built a wider community of amazing friends—Amy (Jona's now wife), Dave, Andres, David, Roe, Ailena, Jonathan, Charlton, Anuj, Aditiya, Andre, Varsha, and many more, inside and outside of web development. Some of us formed a tight-knit circle of friends. Vincent, Jona, and Dave often shared bits of dev knowledge with me, in my early learning stages, and just as often, we were at bachata socials and congresses together. Vincent had the idea to start Tampa Devs, with the help of our good friend Charlton, and it quickly became the fastest-growing web development group in Florida—complete with sponsors, career opportunities, hackathons, and recognition from other tech organizations.

Everyone in the Latin dance scene and web development community became like extended family, though I quickly noticed how many of the people I connected with ended up being devs. Vincent connected all of us, but my relationship with him only grew deeper with time. We traveled together—Universal Studios, Miami, Orlando, Vegas, the Grand Canyon, countless bachata congresses, kava shops, comedy shows, movies, and even bonded over anime. He and Jona liked my clear glasses, black earrings, long samurai-style man-bun, and tattoos, and eventually adapted those into their own styles (though Vincent perfected his own Sasuke look instead of the bun). Little did they know, their influence on me was much deeper—it was showing me a way out of debt and a poverty mentality, into financial freedom, and a hopeful future—through genuine friendship.

The day I found out one of the best friends I ever had passed away, I was writing about him already right here in my Portfolio's About page. I also found out, a few days later, that I texted him the day his life on earth had ended. He will never be forgotten by me, and his influence goes on, not only through every dev project of mine, but also throughout my family. His influence on me rippled into my family, with my brother Gabriel now in school with me to break through to financial freedom for our entire family together. Never have I felt so compelled to accomplish something as I do now, because of my good friend, one of the best types of people this world will ever know, Vincent Tang.

Growth and Mentorship

These relationships, sparked by Vincent, showed me how web development could unite people from all backgrounds, provide the freedom and abundance I desired, and create opportunities to impact others’ lives. I experienced this firsthand when I built a simple website (yes—through Wix) for my dad's roofing business. That project opened my eyes to both the value of websites for small businesses and how much more I had to learn. At the time, I was still working with my dad in roofing and doing Medicare Case Management, both of which took their tolls on me physically, financially, and mentally. I knew I needed a different career path, and Vincent's encouragement was the spark.

Nearly every close friend I made during my time in Florida turned out to be a developer. That experience gave me a perspective I couldn't have found in Oklahoma, where many “Oklahomies” looked pessimistically on web dev, only seeing the hardships of Oklahoma devs: low pay for high learning, low career demand, few positions, few resources, etc. Yet my Florida friends showed me a different reality: that web development offers remote flexibility, much higher out-of-state pay, and the chance to live well in a lower-cost or higher-cost state. That realization was a lightbulb moment for me—a modern roadmap to beat the system—and I've been able to share that inspiration with others back in Oklahoma. I aspire to show them in can be done, just as I have seen.

I began learning web development on my own in 2022. Immediately after, I clicked with another dev friend at the gym, Konstantine, who gave me more insight from his years of professional full-stack development. Witnessing the lives of every Floridian developer I met—9 bedroom home, multiple homes, new BMW, multiple vehicles, constant world travels and excursions, tons of free time, fully remote work, etc—helped me realize I didn't have to accept the limits I had grown up with. Many of my dev friends lived abundant lives but never flaunted it, choosing instead to remain humble and supportive. That judgment-free inclusivity became one of the biggest driving forces for my growth. Next, while on a birthday cruise, I was seated—perhaps by coincidence or maybe divinely—next to Steven, the owner of a web development company. After hearing about my goals, he generously offered me advice and even a future job opportunity. Still, there were too many distractions in Florida. So, in 2023, I moved back to my roots in Oklahoma to regain focus.

There, I reconnected with a longtime mentor named Angel. I had not realized, until then, how immersed in web development he had always been—helping create WordPress and even helping teach at Francis Tuttle, where I had just enrolled. He had been my b-boy mentor, then spiritual mentor, and now became a dev mentor as well. Studying on my own time proved too challenging, so I enrolled at Francis Tuttle Technology Center to formally study web development and turn passion into profession. Attending Francis Tuttle’s Development program, working at Best Buy, connecting with Techlahoma, joining Coffee and Code, and studying at random places, I made connections with other devs, some of whom even offered me career assistance and advice. These moments felt too interconnected to be coincidence, reinforcing that this was the right path for me. Even after moving back to Oklahoma though, Vincent and I always kept in touch—calling and texting about our hardships, joys, and exchanging advice. He never stopped encouraging me and even shared invaluable gems of wisdom about front-end development and career growth from his role as a lead front-end developer at Oddball, where he worked on government CMS websites.

Now, my entire journey in web development carries a new weight and purpose. I aspire to become the best developer I can be—for Vincent. His friendship, mentorship, and belief in me are the reasons I am in school today, building a portfolio website, and pursuing a career in front-end development. Because of his influence, also, my brother is in school with me, together working to break generational family curses that try to hold us back from provision and potential. I know he is in heaven now, cheering me on and helping me along the way still. My future career, projects, and every step forward are filled with a fire to honor Vincent and to use this path to help others, just as he helped me.

Skills and Passions

As I dove deeper into HTML and CSS at FTTC, I found myself drawn to the very challenges many developers warned me about—especially CSS. While others described it as frustrating or tedious, I found joy in mastering its intricacies. Each hurdle I overcame became a source of genuine satisfaction. I discovered a deep creative fulfillment in bringing clean, aesthetic web interfaces to life and solving layout problems others avoided.

Broader Background

I bring a diverse and dynamic background that fuels both discipline and creativity. I earned a Bachelor's degree in Ministry while mentoring youth and using breakdance (b-boying) as a teaching tool. Alongside that, I played drums for my church and designed t-shirts—expressions of my lifelong passion for the arts. Whether dancing, drumming, or drawing, I've always been a detail-oriented creative. My love for comedy and storytelling has also driven me to write sketches and skit ideas for years.

Professionally, I've worn many hats: supervising lifeguard teams, performing and teaching breakdance, and co-owning a roofing company where I balanced leadership with hands-on labor. As a Medicare Case Manager, I thrived in a high-pressure environment, juggling multiple web platforms, handling sensitive information, and training new hires. I was recognized among the top four agents nationwide for conducting Health Risk Assessments, with my workflow later held up as a company-wide model of efficiency.

Pivot and Purpose

After sustaining injuries that limited my ability to continue roofing and breakdancing professionally, I began searching for a more sustainable and creative career path—leading me to web development. It offered the perfect blend of problem-solving, artistry, and long-term flexibility. Beyond earning income and creating more free time, my deeper goal is to build a unique youth ministry that fuses hip-hop, fitness, music, and holistic health. I also aspire to pursue acting and explore the world. At the heart of everything I do is a passion to help others—and web development empowers me to support ministries, small businesses, and underserved communities through effective digital solutions.

Current Status

These experiences sharpened my attention to detail, empathetic communication, and leadership under pressure—skills I now channel into development work. In school, I've completed over 25 front-end projects, from responsive sites to wireframes and content planning documents. My final project includes this multi-page portfolio site with 5 HTML files, 3 CSS files, wireframes, thumbnail images, project preview videos, resume integration, copywriting, and a headshot—all designed and developed by me.

I'm an active member of several developer communities, including Techlahoma, Coffee and Code, Tampa Devs, Free Code Camp, and Francis Tuttle's web development network. My next endeavor before graduating Francis Tuttle is completing JavaSript courses and frameworks, followed by testing in advanced coding through Certiport. Competing in state and nationals with the school might be in the near future, as well. I value collaboration, curiosity, and clarity, and I'm driven by the mission to build technology that helps and inspires others.

Closing

As a teammate, I'm known for encouraging others, guiding focus with kindness, and sparking creativity. As a developer, I bring discipline, passion for detail, and a love for CSS-driven design. I'm inspired by company cultures that prioritize growth, creativity, and purpose—especially those that believe in working hard, playing hard, and helping people thrive.

A woodland clearing, like the one above, is one of my favorite places to relax and think about new project ideas. I find it important to balance the emmersing lifestyle of technology with emmersement in nature.