MANDY DEL RIO SMITH
War Heroes, hosted by Benghazi hero Kris Paronto, is a new pro-military documentary TV series, which personalizes American soldiers by telling their real-life stories at home and abroad. Each episode will profile an individual service member or veteran up close and personal, detailing their unique lives, service, and sacrifice.
Host
Kris Paronto
Kris Paronto - “Tanto” as he is affectionately known in security contracting circles - is a former
Army Ranger from the 2nd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment and a private security contractor, who
has been deployed throughout South America, Central America, the Middle East and North Africa.
He also worked with the US Government’s Global Response Staff, conducting low profile security
in high threat environments throughout the world.
Paronto was part of the CIA annex security team that responded to the terrorist attack on the US
Special Mission in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11th, 2012, helping to save over 20 lives while
fighting off terrorists from the CIA Annex for over 13 hours. His story is told in the book 13 Hours
written by Mitchell Zuckoff and his five surviving annex security team members.
Paronto was born in Alamosa, Colorado. He obtained an associate degree from Dixie College
(now Dixie State University) in St. George, Utah; a bachelor’s degree from Mesa State College in
Grand Junction, Colorado; and a master’s degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Paronto served 4 years in the US Army and an additional 4 years in the US Army National Guard,
reaching the rank of sergeant. He later became a commissioned officer in 2003. That same year,
he began contracting for Blackwater Security Consulting and was deployed on various security
contracts, including the Global Response Staff until 2013.
Paronto has been involved in security operations in hostile environments for over 10 years. His team’s involvement with the September 11th, 2012 attack on the US special mission in Benghazi, Libya was paramount in the saving of US lives and assets. He is a proven leader, teammate and friend to those who have deployed with him, and a devout father to three children.
Follow Kris Paronto:
For more information about Kris Paronto go to www.kristantoparonto.com.
About the 14th Hour Foundation:
The 14th Hour Foundation was founded by Kris Paronto and is committed to raising and dispersing funds to help
the lives and futures of veterans, military contractor personnel and first responders that have served and sacrificed to
protect the American homeland. Proceeds from this charitable fund provide assistance in the form of Honor Grants
for those unexpected everyday life events that other government programs may not cover. These may include, utility
bills, help with rent, a vehicle repair, burial costs and help with college tuition. Additionally, the 14th Hour Foundation partners with other veteran organizations to increase awareness of veteran-related issues and to provide for veteran support services.
Follow 14th Hour:
For more information go to www.14thhour.net.
Pilot Episode
Sgt. Ryan E. Doltz
“You may be whatever you resolve to be.”
-Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson
The pilot episode focuses on Sgt. Ryan E. Doltz from Mine Hill, New Jersey, who lost his life in Baghdad, Iraq on June 5, 2004. Ryan was a graduate from the Virginia Military Institute and served in the New Jersey National Guard. Kris Paronto meets with Ryan’s family, friends, and those who served with him in Iraq. They tell his story, sharing personal experiences about this young man, best described as “larger than life.” Ryan’s service and dedication to help his fellow soldiers as well as those he never knew continues on through the Sgt. Ryan E. Doltz Memorial Foundation, which was created by his family in his honor.
For more information about the Sgt. Ryan E. Doltz Memorial Foundation go to www.rememberingryan.org.
Production Team
Creator, Director, Executive Producer : Jack Thomas Smith
Jack Thomas Smith made his feature film directorial debut with the psychological thriller Disorder. He was also the writer and producer of that film. Disorder opened as a limited theatrical release in the
United States in the summer of 2006 and was later released on DVD by Universal/Vivendi and on
Pay-Per-View and Video-On-Demand by Warner Brothers. Overseas, it screened at the Cannes Film
Festival and the Raindance Film Festival in London. Curb Entertainment represented Disorder for
foreign sales and secured distribution deals around the world. Disorder has just been released
worldwide on Digital HD for the first time by Monarch Films.
Born in 1969 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Smith lived there until he was eight when his family
relocated to a quiet island community in Michigan, which would later serve as the inspiration for his
upcoming film In the Dark. He began to write at a very young age after reading the Stephen King
novels Salem’s Lot and The Shining. By the time he was eleven, he had written a 300-page novel
and several short stories.
Smith’s family moved to Sparta, New Jersey when he was a teenager. It was there, in that middle-class town, that he discovered the films of George A. Romero, Stanley Kubrick, Brian DePalma,
and John Carpenter. Inspired to make movies, he wrote and directed a handful of short films that were shot on Super 8mm and starred his brother and friends in all the roles.
As a young adult, Smith produced films for noted horror directors Ted Bohus and John Russo, co-creator of Night of the Living Dead. From that point on, it was only a matter of time for his growth as a filmmaker to expand.
Smith wrote, produced, and directed the dark thriller Infliction, which dealt with the horrors of child abuse and its long-term effects. Infliction opened as a limited theatrical release in the United States in the spring of 2014 and was later released on DVD, VOD, and Digital HD on July 1st, 2014 by Virgil Films & Entertainment. In 2018, Infliction was released internationally in most major markets on Digital HD by Monarch Films. Infliction won Best Story in a Feature Film at the Buffalo Niagara Film Festival and Best Screenplay at the Macabre Faire Film Festival.
Smith is a member of the Horror Writers Association. He served as a guest contributor to the Bram Stoker nominated book Horror 201: The Silver Scream. Other contributors included John Carpenter, Wes Craven, and George A. Romero.
In 2018, Smith’s strong support for the military took his career in a different direction. He created the pro-military documentary TV series War Heroes with Benghazi hero Kris Paronto attached as the host. He is currently working on the pilot episode along with his fiancée, Mandy Del Rio, who serves as one of the executive producers.
Smith is the proud father of Megan Cruz (nee Smith), who works closely with him on most of his projects, and stepfather to Luna Del Rio, who is an aspiring actress.
Smith’s production company, Fox Trail Productions, Inc., just completed the news documentaries “Socialism in America” and “9/11: The Day That Shook the World” for Newsmax.
Follow Jack Thomas Smith:
For more information about Jack Thomas Smith go to www.jackthomassmith.com.
Executive Producer : Mandy Del Rio
Mandy Del Rio is a TV show host and producer, who has also worked on feature films, music videos, and artist promotion.
Del Rio was born in Fremont, California and grew up in the small coastal town of Pacifica.
Del Rio began dancing, singing, and acting as a child. She first appeared in front of the camera as an extra in Disney’s “Angels in the Outfield”, which inspired her at a young age to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. She continued to fuel these passions throughout her adolescence and into adulthood.
Del Rio has performed backup vocals with various bands and has worked both behind the camera and in front of it on numerous projects. In 2010, she started her own company, Songbird Media Consulting, in which she booked tours for independent musicians and assisted with their social media marketing and promotion.
In 2011, Del Rio met Jack Thomas Smith while working on the set of his dark thriller Infliction, which he wrote, produced, and directed. The two have been inseparable since, having worked together on the completion and marketing of that film as well as numerous other productions over the years, including music videos, commercials, and public service announcements. On St. Patrick's Day 2018, the two were engaged on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Del Rio is also the host and producer of the cable TV talk show The Indie Lounge. The show presents a forum devoted to established professionals within various industries, including arts & entertainment, sports, literature, law, and politics. Previous guests have included actor Don Most (Happy Days), defense attorney David J. Bruno, Esq. (Fox News Legal Analyst), former NFL football player Vince Papale (Philadelphia Eagles & Disney’s Invincible), retired FBI agent James R. Fitzgerald (UNABOM investigation & Manhunt: Unabomber), and actor Peter Greene (The Mask, The Usual Suspects).
Del Rio’s parents instilled in her a deep respect and admiration for our men and women in uniform. She has always been a supporter of America’s service members and comes from a long line of soldiers, dating back to the Civil War on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line. Her grandfathers served in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam; her father and uncle both served in Vietnam; and her oldest brother served in the U.S Army towards the end of the Cold War.
Del Rio is one of the executive producers of the pro-military documentary TV series “War Heroes” with Benghazi hero Kris Paronto attached as the host. She is the proud mother of Luna Del Rio, who is an aspiring actress, and stepmother to Megan Cruz (nee Smith).
Recently, Del Rio co-produced the news documentaries “Socialism in America,” “9/11: The Day That Shook the World,” “Day of Outrage,” and “America Burning,” for Newsmax.
Follow Mandy Del Rio:
Executive Producer : Glenn Nevola
Glenn Nevola is a commercial airline pilot, owner of a financial services firm, and a film and TV
producer.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Nevola began his career as
an airline pilot in 1986 with People Express Airlines, which merged with Continental Airlines in
1987 and later merged with United Airlines in 2010. He is currently based in Newark, New Jersey
as a 737 captain.
In addition to being a pilot, Nevola operated the financial arm of a real estate firm that purchased,
renovated, rented, marketed, bundled and sold properties to investors over a 12-year span from
1996 to 2008. He was personally responsible for over 300 closings during that time frame.
Nevola branched out into the entertainment industry when he co-financed and executive produced
the psychological thriller Disorder, which opened in select theaters in the summer of 2006 and
was later released on DVD and VOD by Universal/Vivendi and Warner Brothers. Overseas, it
screened at the Cannes Film Festival and the Raindance Film Festival in London. Curb
Entertainment represented Disorder for foreign sales and secured distribution deals around the
world.
More recently, Nevola worked as a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in NYC, where he acquired his Series 7 and Series 66 licenses. He brought over to the firm a concept and business model that would assist retiring airline pilots with post-retirement wealth management. This was, in part, augmented by the fact that the mandatory retirement age was recently changed from age 60 to age 65 for commercial airline pilots. When Nevola was hired by Morgan Stanley, the oldest of these pilots were then approximately 63 years of age. His unique position of living in both worlds -- flying and finance -- provided him with the ability to market to his niche in direct target marketing from one of their own.
Nevola left Morgan Stanley in 2013 and created his own financial services firm, Flight Line Financial, LLC, which is a registered investment advisory business based in New Jersey. This has allowed Flight Line Financial to provide to younger pilots under retirement age asset allocation strategies, incorporating diversification, dollar cost averaging, and rebalancing options for a flat annual fee; and to older pilots approaching retirement financial planning, trust and estate planning, and distribution schedules among other services. As a pilot, he participates in the same retirement plans in which he advises and is in similar models as many of his clients. Flight Line Financial currently manages approximately $250 million in assets across approximately 200 clients.
Nevola also spends his free time volunteering for charity. He owns a personal aircraft and works with Pilots n Paws to rescue dogs from high-kill shelters and delivers them to no-kill shelters for adoption. He has saved many puppies and full-grown dogs over the years that were very close to being euthanized. In addition, Nevola flies patients in need of treatment to their appointments for Angel Flight Northeast based in Boston. He is also a 5th degree black belt in the Japanese based martial art of Shukokai.
Nevola is a longtime supporter of the U.S. military and is proud to be an executive producer on the documentary TV series War Heroes.
For more information about Glenn Nevola go to www.flightlinefinancial.com.
