SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Cory Allen came out as gay, found love, and lost love — all while protecting some of the most powerful people in the world.
The former United States Service Service Agent and current San Francisco resident revealed his saga of self discovery in his new book, “Breaking Free.”
“There was so much that occurred in that 10-15 year span, and I needed a way to process it. I just sat down and started writing,” Allen told KRON4.
Allen grew up in a conservative Virginia suburb.
A career in hyper-masculine law enforcement was not easy, he said. When he started his career two decades ago, Allen went to great lengths to keep his professional life and personal life severed to prevent potential conflicts. After joining the elite Secret Service, he took on high-level assignments worldwide guarding U.S. presidents.
Allen was part of Obama’s security detail in the midst of a divorce, and he started opening up to his fellow agents. “I was very fortunate when I was on the Obama detail, my colleagues helped me through a lot … as I ventured into the divorce waters,” he said.
Allen moved to California in 2019 and left the Service Service at the pinnacle of his career. Breaking free, away from an all-consuming profession, helped him develop a self-identity and feel comfortable in his own skin.
Since his book was published in March, Allen has received messages from law enforcement officers across the country who related to his story.
Allen said he is now writing a sequel picking up where his book left off. “I’m still adjusting to people calling me an author,” he said. “It’s wild.”
“Breaking Free” is available in local San Francisco book stores.
