Naulty details a hard upbringing in an article published by Tom Verducci in the June 4, 2012 issue of "Sports Illustrated". His older sister's heroin and crack cocaine addiction is what led to the decision for him to live with his father. Shortly after moving to Huntington Beach with his father, his father took a job in Kuwait that left Dan in the care of a baseball coach most of the time, who soon began sexually abusing him. Shortly afterwards, a female teacher also began abusing Naulty.