Rafael Lima was born in Brazil but moved to the US at age 8 and speaks 3 languages. He enjoys cycling, playing the violin in his school and church orchestras, and has been enrolled in the NJROTC program at his high school for 3 years where he has risen to the rank of Command Master Chief Petty Officer. Upon graduating, he plans to enlist in the US Marine Corps and serve as an air crew or combat engineer, obtain an associate's degree in fire science during that time, and then retire and become a firefighter.