Dan Messineo joined Spectrum News 13 as a multimedia journalist covering Seminole County in the fall of 2019. However, he doesn’t consider himself to be just a reporter — Dan embraces life as a storyteller.

He knows that great storytelling can bring change to a community, connect neighbors together, and offer hope when needed.

Dan learned early on in his career about the power of compassion. When a vandal carved racial slurs into an African American man’s vehicle, causing more than a thousand dollars’ worth of damage, Dan empathized the man’s pain and embarrassment, especially since he did not have the money for the repairs. This situation had such a profound impact on Dan that he decided to take action to help.

After talking to several body shops, he found one willing to repaint the man’s vehicle for free. Dan will never forget the reaction and the story he got to tell when the owner saw his car again for the first time after it was repainted. Nothing is more satisfying to Dan as a journalist than being able to make a difference.

As a relative newcomer to Central Florida, Dan likes to travel around the area and explore new places, from the nearby beaches to the popular tourist attractions and all the other fun spots in between. He considers himself a lifelong learner, and in his free time, he enjoys reading about history, science, journalism, and a mix of other topics.