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Pass joined the Marines at the height of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars and was prepared to fight on the front lines. As it turned out, however, Pass was the only generator mechanic in his entire unit of 1,500 Marines, and he was told early on, "You're not going anywhere." Pass served nearly ten years, leaving the Marines in 2016 as a sergeant. He was planning to become a personal trainer, while simultaneously getting involved in body building. In 2019, he placed fourth in a competition in Las Vegas and was feeling especially good heading into the holidays that year. The holiday season made him think of his mother, who every Christmas baked oatmeal coconut chocolate chip cookies that she would hand out to friends and neighbors. "It was a really nice thing she did," says Pass, who called his mother for her recipe, wanting to do something similar for his own friends and neighbors in San Diego. e cookies were a tremendous success, and Pass was ready to make them his own holiday tradition. Because of COVID, however, what started as a friendly gesture quickly became a growing business: Momma's Boy Cookies. "e lockdowns closed everything, including gyms," says Pass. "When I first made the cookies, one of my buddies sent me a link about a woman in Minnesota who made a fortune selling chocolate chip cookies at a state fair. at got me thinking." On April 15, 2020, Pass created an Instagram account that advertised: "A dozen cookies for $12. Buy two bags and I'll deliver." e first night was a disaster. Not everyone got their cookies. But Pass apologized on his Instagram and assured his customers he would do better. Within a couple of months, he was taking 30 to 40 orders a day. "Every morning I'd make eight or nine pounds of cookie dough, then go to a friend's house who had a double oven. I'd start baking and would be delivering by two in the afternoon," he says. at was three years ago, and Pass, who is now married and the father of a second daughter, has made incredible strides. He still takes most of his orders on Instagram, but he no longer relies on a friend's oven. Now offering eight flavors, Momma's Boy Cookies made a big splash at the La Jolla Concours d'Elegance in April and will soon be available at farmers' markets in La Jolla and Rancho Santa Fe. : @mommasboycookies Focus military << ranchandcoast.com 42 JUNE 2023 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE Momma's Boy Cookies