Dan is a television reporter, investigative journalist, and news anchor who was a former professional gymnast. He is the brother of Steve, the ex-husband of Naomi, and the father of Rachel, Jordan, and Sara.

Biography

Early Life

Dan was the brother of Steve Berenson^[3][4][5] and lived in California.^[6] Both Dan and Steve were Jewish.^[3] Dan was into gymnastics and pursued it professionally, and nearly made the U.S. Olympic Men's Gymnastics Team. Dan eventually left gymnastics, but retained connections with gymnasts, such as Carla Belnikoff. In his adult life, Dan married a woman named Naomi^[1] who was a lawyer.^[2]

Career and Family Life

In 1984,^{[note 2]} Naomi gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Rachel. Two years later, she gave birth to another daughter named Jordan.^[2] By the time Rachel was three, she was enrolled in gymnastics, and a picture was taken of Dan and Rachel as he proudly held Rachel up for having walked on a balance beam. Dan initially wanted a son as he believed only a male child would allow him to do the "fun dad" stuff, but found out that he could do these things with Rachel, which he came to enjoy. A few years after that, Naomi was pregnant with a third child, and remarked to Dan that he had always wanted a son. Dan told her that while he used to feel that way, he explained why he no longer felt that way and that Rachel was as good as any boy, while also pointing out the vaults that Rachel could perform. Groaning, Naomi told Dan to never let Rachel hear that, stating that little girls did not want to be told that they were as good as a boy to their father.^[1] Naomi then gave birth to her third child, a daughter that was named Sara. Rachel was the only one of their children to inherit Dan's blond hair and blue eyes, as Jordan and Sara received Naomi's brown hair and brown eyes.^[2] Rachel was Dan's favorite child of his three daughters, and often took her out on excursions such as hiking, gymnastics events, and sports games, the latter where they trash-talked the umpires.^[1] At some point, Naomi joined Dan and Rachel on a whitewater rafting trip.^[2]

Dan's career was that of a reporter for a local television channel, where he did investigative journalism.^[1] He was also a weatherman for this channel,^[2] and anchored the news on weekends.^[1] Much like Rachel, Dan often wore fashionable clothes.^[2]

Post-Divorce

Father-Daughters Outings

Sometime in the 1990s, Dan and Naomi got divorced, and Dan moved out of the house^[2] and got an apartment in the city. Dan took his daughters on outings on every other weekend, with the girls spending one weekend a month at this apartment. Dan often went on outings with just Rachel such as hiking, rock climbing, gymnastics evenets, ball games, and other sporting events; most of these were excursions that he initially thought he could only do with a son, and these trips were just the two of them since Jordan and Sara were not interested in any of these activities. Having developed a close bond, Dan often put his arm around Rachel and fluffed her hair.^[1]

Moving Out of State

An Offer for Rachel

Dan eventually got a promotion to be the top anchor for another network in another state about a thousand miles away, where he would anchor the six o'clock and eleven o'clock segments along with being able to do specials. As this was the type of promotion Dan always wanted, along with being offered a lot of money, Dan accepted it. As the move would cause him to no longer be able to see his daughters every other weekend, Dan wanted Rachel to live with him. Dan spoke with Naomi about this, who did not want Rachel to leave but decided that Rachel deserved to make the choice for herself. On a Sunday evening, Dan took Rachel, Jordan, Sara, and Rachel's best friend Cassie to the circus, with Dan tasked with notifying his daughters about the move, although Dan did not end up doing so. The next night, Dan notified Naomi that he did not tell their daughters but that he was doing so tonight, and told her that he would be buying dinner for them to have that night. Dan picked up Thai food and arrived at Naomi's House, where he was greeted by Sara, who ran into his arms as Rachel and Jordan watched. Dan greeted Rachel and asked how his girl was, and asked her to take the bag of Thai food. As Naomi entered, Dan cordially greeted her and asked how she had been. The family then sat down for dinner and had small talk for a while until Naomi exasperatingly told Dan to just get it over with. Dan notified his daughters about his new job and that he was moving to another state. Rachel became upset and congratulated him, and Dan told her that he would still be able to visit them since jets existed.

Rachel then stood up and left to go to her room, and Dan followed her. Dan knocked on her door and asked if he could he enter, and Rachel allowed him. Dan told her that he wanted Rachel to move in with him, claiming that the reason he was asking her and not Jordan and Sara was because she was older and could take care of herself when he had to work late; he then added that he wanted her to live with him so they could go rock-climbing every weekend and continuing their excursions of going to sporting events and gymnastics. Dan told her that famed coach Carla Belnikoff lived in the city he was moving to and that Rachel had the talent to pursue women's gymnastics professionally if she so desired, and added that this city was much bigger and therefore allowed for more shopping. Rachel replied that she had to think about it, and Dan quickly told her that he didn't want her to decide immediately and that she should speak to her mother and her sisters. Dan then told Rachel that he loved her before leaving her room, and shortly after, leaving the house.

On Wednesday, Dan was on the noon news as he did a story at a convention center, where he later spoke to the anchors back at the studio as they discussed his upcoming departure. Sometime after Saturday morning, Dan was notified by Rachel that she would not be moving away with him. On Monday, Dan was in his apartment packing his suitcase when Rachel arrived. Dan greeted his daughter and told her that he would have picked her up and asked her what she was doing there, to which she stated that he sucked at packing. He then told her that she could still move away with him, although she politely declined. As Rachel kissed Dan on the cheek, Dan patted her hair, and the two left the apartment as a taxi cab was waiting outside. Approaching the cab, Dan asked Rachel to come with him to the airport, adding that he would pay for the cab to drive her back home after. Rachel declined, and Dan remarked that she probably had something to do with her friends; when Rachel quipped that she and her friends needed to save the world, Dan replied that if anyone could save the world, it would be Rachel. He then got into the cab and was driven to the airport, where he took a flight to his new state.^[1]

Crocodile Girl Incident

To be added

Concerned for Rachel

To be added

Personality

According to Rachel, Dan was very big on standing up for what's right and was known for being reckless. Rachel believed that if her father would have supported her knew she was an Animorph. Dan initially did not want daughters, believing that he needed a son to do the "fun dad stuff," but changed his stance after Rachel was born, stating that she was as tough as any boy. Dan was very much into gymnastics and physical activity, which Rachel also became a fan of, causing Rachel to become his favorite child. While Dan loved his other daughters Jordan and Sara, they were not into the same hobbies as he was, and he did not spend as much time with them as he did with Rachel. When Dan moved out of state, he wanted Rachel to move with him and asked her to leave school and her friends to be with him as he did not want to be alone and did not want to stop going on their father-daughter outings.

Appearances

• The Visitor (mentioned)
• The Predator (mentioned)
• The Stranger
• The Reaction
• The Separation

Trivia

• In the Animorphs TV series, Dan is named Don.
• Dan is first mentioned by name in The Stranger.
• He nearly became a U.S. Olympic gymnast in his youth.
• In Elfangor's Secret, he is revealed to be Jewish.

Gallery

Dan is mentioned in Rachel's Animorphs Alliance Handbook bio

Dan is mentioned on Rachel's ID card

Notes

References