Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - An haifi Mathisen a Arlington, Virginia a 1954. Mahaifinsa, Chris, ya kasance wakilin yaki yayin da yake cikin Rundunar Sojojin Ruwa ta Amurka a lokacin Yaƙin Duniya na II kuma ya ba da rahoton Bayar da Japan
a kan jirgin USS Missouri kuma daga baya ya kasance mataimakin gudanarwa ga Burr Harrison. Mahaifiyarsa, Maryamu, ta kasance mai zane. Ya kammala karatunsa daga Jami'ar Virginia a shekarar 1976.