After his parents divorced, Dirk's mother got a restraining order taken out against her ex-husband, prohibiting him from seeing the children at their own home. When Dirk was 18, his father violated the order and told Dirk to go fishing with him. Dirk's mother had previously told him to say whatever he needed to to get out of going with his father. Fed up, his father stormed into the house, was shot and killed by his older son, who also nearly shot Dirk when he followed their father into the living room.