A Few More Pictures from August 2008

Danny,

We have just suffered a great loss and it is incredible and truly touching to see all the great memories that everyone has shared of Dan “Danny.”  He was such a sweet, kind and caring man.  Danny was truly a rare gift and one of a kind.  Through his struggles, it broke my heart to see him in pain, and only wish that I could have taken it all away.  Though we did not share the lifetime together that we set out for, our time together was the most special and magical time of my life.  Danny showed me what true love really was.  To the past gentlemen of Danny’s life, we all share something very special and very unique, the gift of the love of a wonderful man that will live in our hearts forever.  I truly hope that our Danny is at peace.  It is just so surreal and incredibly difficult to accept that he is no longer with us. 

I have written a letter to Danny, remembering our life together, and remembering him as my partner, my great love, and my best friend.  Everyone should be as lucky to have found a true great love.

Danny,

From the moment we met, you have deeply impacted my life in ways I never thought possible.  I will never forget the day we met at a community event.  From the first glance at each other, we had an immediate chemistry.  We were only able to speak to each other for a short time, but we both had the biggest smiles on our faces, and I knew from first meeting you, that you were someone very special.  Though after the first time we met we did not see each other again for a few years, as life took us on different paths, I never forgot you and how incredible I felt in your presence.    

A few years had gone by, and amazingly, our paths had crossed again.  We both looked at each other, with the same ear to ear smiles on our faces and couldn’t take our eyes off each other.  I knew from that moment we had an immediate bond and that you were going to be the greatest part of my life.  I remember talking that night with you for hours, both of us wearing the biggest smiles like two giddy little boys.  I felt so incredibly lucky that someone so wonderful had been brought into my life.

From that moment on, you and I began an amazing journey together.  Each and every day I felt like I must have been dreaming that someone so special and so beautiful was the man that I was lucky enough to share my life with.  You always had that boyish charm that was so charming.  Your smile would make me melt.  Every time you would walk into a room, my heart would race.  Never in my life have I ever felt so much love or passion as I did with you.  You took me to levels that I didn’t know were possible.  It was as though we were two pieces from one unique template that were made together. 

I remember our date nights, sitting outside on the tailgate of the truck eating gelato.  No matter how busy we were, we always found time for our date nights for gelato, sharing with each other and talking for hours.  We had so much fun trying new gelato places to find our favorite spot, and we liked them all so much, we couldn’t decide. 

I remember the first moment that you said, “I Love You.”  I was driving, you were sitting next to me and I was holding your hand.  We were talking about how much you wanted to move to Portland to go back to school.  I asked if you were sure that you wanted me to go with you.  You looked at me and said, “of course I do, I love you,” I looked at you, each of us with ear to ear smiles, and I told you that I love you too.  From that moment on, we knew that we would spend our lives together. 

 

You were so thoughtful and always had a romantic gesture up your sleeve.  I will always remember how I would be making dinner in the kitchen, or we would both be doing something in the house, you would walk over to me and put your arms around me and slow dance with me when our dance song would play.  You always remembered me saying that particular song always made me want to slow dance with you, and so whenever it played you always made sure we did.   I remember you telling me that we needed to have a song, one that was ours.  You had listened to a song and you told me it is the song that makes you think of me.  You even set it as your ringtone on your phone for me.  So that was our song.

Though through all the great times, you were in pain, and I could feel it.  As happy as we were together, I know that you silently suffered.  It was the most difficult thing to experience with you, knowing that I could not take away your pain.  As partners, our duty is to look after each other, and to keep each other safe.  As hard as I tried, I am so very sorry, my sweet Danny, that I could not take away your pain.  My heart aches with your passing, but I pray that you have found the peace that you seek.  I know I will one day see you again.  

Danny, my love, my partner, my best friend, you complemented my life in every way.  You made me feel so alive that I could do anything.  You made my life so bright and so rich with your love.  Because of you, I truly am a better man.  If I had it to do all over, I would not hesitate at the chance to have your love and share our lives again.  You were the greatest love of my life, you are my heart.  I love you so very much.  You were an extraordinary man and we truly had something rare and very special.  I will forever have you in my heart and will keep safe, all the wonderful memories of us.

All my love, my baby, Always.

Aubrey

Dan, Dan the Computer Man

One memory I have of Dan pretty much exemplifies what kind of guy he was.. it was about 12 years ago and I was at work when a computer catastrophe hit. It was the beginning of the computer boom so there was not a lot of weekend support, and I couldn't just wait till Monday to fix the problem. At that point I had only met Dan a few times, but remembered he was very knowledgeable w/ the software with which we were having the problem. So I contacted our mutual friend Lish, and got his phone number and called him on a Saturday night, and he spent 2 hours on the phone with me and got the problem fixed! I was blown away by his kindness.. here he was on a Saturday night, helping

some guy he just met! Over the next few years I was fortunate to spend more time with Dan - he was kind, honest man, and will be missed.

- Luke, Phoenix

To Dan From Jim

Dan found me when he was thinking about moving to Portland several years ago and we had a relationship that I believe to be one of the great loves of my life. Though we weren't able to spend time together often because of the distance, the time we had together was always eventful and made for memories that I will cherish forever. His was the most gentle and sincerely lovable spirits that I have ever encountered, and I will spend the remainder of my time on Earth in gratitude for the time we had together. He tried so hard to protect himself from the harsh world, and it is clear to me that he wanted nothing more than to be loved and accepted. He wasn't able to see sometimes that he was loved beyond reckoning.

I felt something the night he left us that made me put on a piece of jewelry that I hadn't worn in a year or more. It was one that was bought with Dan the first week I met him and we each got one. I hope it was him saying something to me about our link to each other. That's how I will always see it. We had some beautiful experiences together, from Sedona to Mount Hood and I will remember each one with all the love in my heart.

Until we meet again, Daniel, I will remember you and love you. I hope you find the peace you seek.

Jim Kennedy
Portland, OR

To Dan's Family and Friends and Loved ones,

My Name is Steve Uhrman.  I met Dan about 8 years ago at a friends dinner party/social gathering.  We didn't exhchange information at the time, but Dan reached out to me a few years later and we reconnected.  Dan introduced me to Aubrey and the three of us would cook, hike, socialize and just laugh and have fun.  Dan was such a caring person.  He always was in a great mood and always could make me laugh.  Dan and I would talk a lot on the phone.  After he moved to Portland, we would talk about once a month for about 2 hours at a time.  We would talk about life, school, etc.  I spoke to him in March about school etc and that was the last time we spoke.  Dan was my friend and I will miss him greatly.  I had a few gatherings at my house for dinner parties myself and Dan and Aubrey always came.  In addition, I had a small group hiking each Sunday up Camelback Mountain.  I am attaching all of those pictures for you.  I know that they are not the greatest quality, but I thought that you should have them.  I am truly sadened about the loss of Dan.  Again, I will miss him greatly. 

Thank you,

Steve Uhrman

steveuhrman@gmail.com