Georgia Spa Company is proud to announce Senior Chief Dennis "Joey" Gryzenia, United States Coast Guard (Ret.), as the recipient of its annual Hot Tub for a Hero award, presented through the company's Gives Back program.
"Choosing a single recipient was incredibly difficult," said Josh Kemerling, CEO of Georgia Spa Company. "We reviewed hundreds of nominations, and every one of them represented a veteran who is deeply deserving of recognition. While only one Hot Tub for a Hero is awarded each year, we are truly thankful for all who have served our country and for the families and friends who shared their stories with us. We are honored to congratulate Senior Chief Joey Gryzenia as the latest recipient and to recognize a lifetime of service, leadership, and continued impact."
Each year, the Hot Tub for a Hero initiative honors an individual whose life exemplifies extraordinary service, sacrifice, and continued commitment to others. After reviewing more nominations than any previous year, Georgia Spa Company's Gives Back committee selected Senior Chief Gryzenia for his distinguished military career, enduring leadership, and lifelong dedication to serving others.
"Joey's leadership and professionalism left a lasting impact on me and on countless others who had the privilege of serving with him," said Brian Kirkendall, a fellow Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer and the individual who nominated Gryzenia. "The standard he set continues to influence the Rescue Swimmer community to this day."
A Career Defined by
Courage and Leadership
Gryzenia served 23 years in the United
States Coast Guard, retiring in 2020 as a Senior Chief Aviation Survival
Technician (ASTCS), one of the service's elite Helicopter Rescue Swimmers.
Raised in Dublin, Georgia, Joey enlisted in 1998 and quickly found his calling
in one of the most physically and mentally demanding roles in the U.S.
military.
Rescue Swimmer School is notorious for
its difficulty, with historical attrition rates exceeding 70 percent. Joey
earned his wings as Rescue Swimmer #558, launching a career that would include
some of the most challenging and dangerous search-and-rescue missions in Coast
Guard history.
From the unforgiving waters of Kodiak,
Alaska, to lifesaving rescues in extreme weather, to response efforts following
Hurricane Katrina, Joey repeatedly put himself in harm's way so others could
survive. Over the course of his career, he is credited with saving more than 50
lives.
Yet those who served alongside him say
it was never just his skill in the water that set him apart.
"Even when he was junior in rank, Joey
was the one people looked to," Kirkendall said. "His leadership came naturally
— calm, consistent, and always focused on taking care of his people and their
families."
Leading Through
Adversity
In 2013, while serving as a Rescue Swimmer supervisor in North Bend, Oregon, Joey's life changed in an instant. A motorcycle accident caused devastating injuries to his left ankle — injuries severe enough that most would have ended a Rescue Swimmer's career entirely.
Joey refused to quit.
Though the injuries permanently
grounded him from flight status, he fought to remain in the Coast Guard and
continued serving at the highest levels. He advanced to Chief Petty Officer and
later Senior Chief, returning to Savannah, Georgia, where he once again led
Rescue Swimmers under his charge.
"Even when his injuries ended his
flying career, Joey never stopped leading," Kirkendall said. "He ran with a
limp, swam with one fin, and showed all of us what it truly means to lead from
the front, through adversity, not around it."
His example left a lasting impression
on an entire generation of Rescue Swimmers and leaders who would go on to serve
across the fleet.
Service Beyond the
Uniform
After retiring from the Coast Guard,
Joey's commitment to others never slowed. It simply took new form.
Settling in Blue Ridge, Georgia, with
his wife Kathy and their sons, Maddox and Miller, Joey founded Strongholds Sign
Art, creating hand-crafted shadow boxes that honor military careers,
retirements, and, most meaningfully, fallen service members. Each piece is
built one at a time, with care and intention, often provided at no cost to
grieving families.
"Joey didn't step away from service
when he retired," Kirkendall said. "Whether he's supporting families who've
lost someone, building memorials by hand, or showing up when people need him
most, that's just who he is."
Recognizing the unique physical,
mental, and emotional challenges faced by Rescue Swimmers, Joey also founded
the Rescue Swimmer Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting
active-duty and veteran Rescue Swimmers and their families. Since its founding,
the organization has raised more than $60,000, providing assistance for travel,
memorial services, and community support.
One of the Foundation's most impactful
efforts was DECERT 2022: Reuniting Heroes, an event Joey organized to bring
Rescue Swimmers together and reconnect those who shared life-altering
experiences and strengthening a community that often carries its burdens
quietly.
Still Leading, Still
Giving
Despite undergoing more than 10
surgeries and continuing to manage chronic pain, Joey remains deeply involved
in his community. He coaches youth sports, mentors young athletes, and even
hosts early-morning workouts for fathers in his garage continuing to lead,
encourage, and inspire those around him.
"For the impact he's had, in uniform
and out of it, I can think of no one more deserving of this recognition than
Joey," Kirkendall said.
A Well-Deserved
Honor
Georgia Spa Company is honored to
recognize Senior Chief Dennis "Joey" Gryzenia as the 2026 Hot Tub for a Hero
recipient. His story is not defined by a single rescue or a single moment, but
by a lifetime of service, resilience, and leadership that continues to touch
lives long after the uniform came off.
Joey's dedication embodies the heart of the Gives Back program and we are proud to honor him.
Georgia Spa
Company would like to extend its sincere gratitude to everyone who took the
time to submit a nomination this year. The response was overwhelming, and each
nomination told the story of a veteran who has served with courage, humility,
and heart.
Launched in June 2018,
the Georgia Spa
Gives Back program allows Georgia Spa to help others in our community. The
Gives Back program selects a charity or cause to support with a portion of
proceeds from a given month or quarter's sales, and it has grown to annually
provide more than $100,000 in contributions. An initiative of the Gives Back
program, Hot Tub for a Hero awards a hot tub to a deserving recipient each
year:
- Command
Sergeant Major Joshua Coble of
the United States Army
- Licensed
Practical Nurse and NICU Patient Care Technician Tori Mendelsohn
- Captain
Jonathan Davis of the United States Army
- Officer
Michael O'Brien of the Kennesaw Police Department
- Operations
Sergeant Major Pete Amis of the United States Army & Georgia National
Guard
- Mathematics Teacher Vicky Moore of
Cherokee Bluff Middle School
Hot Tub for a Hero is also made possible through support from
partnerships with Hot Spring Spas, Gravitt Electric and Spain & Sons
Construction.
Thank you to The Blue Ridge Creamery for their support in helping make the surprise announcement.