Poem by His Aunt Merle:
The Boy Who Looked Like Peter Pan
Sandy boy with elfin smile,
Freckled nose and gangly grace;
You could but stay a little while,
Now Heaven shines upon your face.
You leave a legacy of love,
Of laughter and a merry wit,
Of magic tricks and silly pranks,
And mischief for the fun of it.
Baseball caps and rocks and frogs,
Indian weavings on the wall,
Beads and boxes, trucks and books,
Paper art - you loved them all.
You learned to juggle,
Ride a bike, rollerblade
And mountain hike.
A vital, energetic child,
You loved all life
Both tame and wild.
How many, many friends you had
Of every age, some old, some new;
Your varied interests drew them in,
A loyal friend they had in you.
I gaze upon the things you made
And realize that you left behind
A yarn ball here, a drawing there
To gently, carefully remind us
Your spirit lives on everywhere.
Brief life so fully lived in joy
By this young, unassuming boy;
Be an example to us all
To live in grace
And care for all.
mb
Dan was a very special and most unique boy, who in his 11 short years
seemed to pack a lifetime of experiences. He was so many things to so many people, but without
a doubt, he touched every life with love and friendship and sharing and fun. He was a happy
person who made the most and the best of every situation.
Daniel was a true giver who totally gave of himself, always sharing himself to the max - whether
participating in family activities like cross-country skiing or making creative gifts like dream
catchers, fluffy yarn balls, or decorative snow flakes which he would make himself and then give
to all his family and friends. He was so very generous!
Dan was also a very affectionate son, brother, nephew, grandson, cousin, and friend. Though he
was a hugger, his affections were also spread through laughter, jesting, and even silly gags.
Daniel had a wonderful sense of humor - sometimes to the extent of telling a joke or pulling
these pranks. And yet, he was helpful - forever watching out for the feelings and needs of
others, especially his mother's. We, his relatives, as well as his many school friends claim he
never said anything to hurt anyone.
He loved and respected his wonderful parents, Ginny and Jonathan. While he was an obedient
son, he lovingly shared time with both. On mornings before school, Dan would rise earlier than
necessary just to be able to share breakfast with his mother before she went off to her teaching
job. He would send her off with hugs, kisses, and a wave good-bye through their front window.
She would return to a smiling, happy boy who was willing to help all he could and make her laugh
or give her love when he could see she needed it. With his father, he would spend countless
hours tinkering in the garage making or inventing things. They also enjoyed and worked together
on the computer, teching-out hours of fun, or they would attend comic conventions or other fun
events of interest to them. Dan's special nature came from his caring, loving, and nuturing
parents.
Daniel was a normal boy. He enjoyed all of the usual "boy" things like roller- blading, crashing
his battery-operated car, playing video and hi-tech computer games, and even simple made-up
table games like "Penny Basketball." He was extremely creative and inventive as well as a
terrific problem-solver. He was independent and didn't often need to rely upon others to work
through a problem, write a story for homework, or even repair a broken item.
He had a special relationship with his sister, Nicole, and they shared so much together. They
could be heard giggling late into the night on many occasions. Dan and Nicole were great friends
and on long trips were never at a loss for activities to do together to pass the long hours.
Dan was a great friend to have. If Daniel was your friend, he was your friend for life. Dan's
friends meant so much to him, and he loved spending time with them either at school, sports
events, on vacation, or in his room or back yard.
He also shared a special relationship with his Auntie Chrissy. They were forever trying to out-do
one another with clever poems and antics regarding a mutual 12 inch skeletal friend they
referred to as "Bones" (short for Mr. Chattin(g) D. Bones). They would mail the model skeleton,
dressed or disguised in myriad costumes or attire, back and forth between Dallas and San Diego
- each time a new theme or prank or funny thought. Many times "Bones" would be accompanied
by a special poem or explanation. (You had to be there.) This ongoing activity even inspired
Dan's grandmother to record in poetry form what is known as "The Saga of Chattin(g) D. Bones."
Dan loved to do so many things among which the following represent only a few: he loved Magic
Tricks, Juggling, Hackeysack, Mountain Biking, Origami, using the "pulley" system for raising
and lowering items either for convenience or for pulling off a stunt, Boogey Boarding and
Swimming, Scientific Experiments, Golf, and Roller Hockey. And, he was musical - he played
the trumpet in the school band.
Daniel was a funny, loving boy who loved baseball caps and almost always wore one. Though
he tended to be shy, he had so much going on in his mind and would participate in everything he
could. He was a straight "A" student, loved by both teachers and friends. He played the trumpet
in his school's band. The band members so loved Dan that for the remainder of this year, a rose
will be placed on Dan's chair for each concert. In his other classes, the children asked that his
chair remain unoccupied. And the school is dedicating their yearbook to him.
Daniel was a vibrant, agile, friendly boy who was also clever, creative, and funny. God truly
loved this child - he was full of life and living, loving and giving!
We know he is with God in heaven. We love him so much, and though we cherish our wonderful
memories of him and feel so privileged to have shared in his short life, we will also miss him
beyond what any words can express.
Written by Dan's Auntie Chrissy - who loved him so very much.
Daniel's Hobbies and Interests:
Dan was a computer nut.
He had all of his comic books and baseball cards indexed in Wordperfect in tables,
with how much he had paid for them and how much they were worth.
He put this graphic on the pages.
He also did this picture called Bad Boy
He made yarn balls and gave them to his friends and family.
His Mom Ginny cherishes hers.
He made his own bead-stringing frame
He skiied 10 miles at Mammoth Mountain the last day of our family vacation.
He was a real hot-dogger and would climb up lots of hills just so he could ski back down.
We had a great time in Hawaii in 1993. The kids played Hawaiian games at the luau.
Daniel always got along great with his sister
Nicole.
They would look like they were trying to drown
each when they went swimming, getting each other in a headlock.
Nicole and Daniel would play games for days
on end when we would go on long trips.
Daniel won a contest by the San Diego Union for his photography of Old Faithful at Yellowstone.
We were so proud of him!
Daniel played Little League for a couple of years
Daniel's Page on Aneurysm Support Page