Darren Melvyn Fisher

March 11, 1967 - August 15, 2021

At age 54, Darren succumbed to injuries he received from being hit by a car when he was 12 years old.

Fortunately, he seemed to have been born with a positive attitude; seeing the world as if everything was possible and life was great. Even at his first swimming lesson, when the class was asked if anybody could dive, Darren enthusiastically raised his hand and then pulled off a reasonable dive much to his family's surprise. Praise from the swimming instructor was completely redundant but he lapped it up anyway. Through his long journey from a coma and vegetative state to being the best he could be, he was never one to be angry or bitter about his completely changed life, and amazingly, he continued to demonstrate that he viewed the world with optimism. Although rendered pretty much non-verbal by his profound brain injury, Darren had an incredible way of engaging people, even strangers, with his gestures, charming and winning ways, and gorgeous smile. For example, one day while riding in mom's car, a big and burly biker pulled up beside them and Darren approvingly looked over the beautiful Harley Davidson bike and then he gave the rider a big grin and a thumbs up which his new friend returned. So the injury didn't change Darren's personality, he was always awesome and his lesson to all of us who might be brave enough to follow is to accept our challenges and get on with life. As Darren so prophetically wrote forty-three years prior to the day of his passing:

"You see yourself in a crisp, slick, cool mountain puddle.

It is a reflection of yourself.

As you stumble away from your reflection, you get smaller and grow faint.

As you come nearer you get dazzly large.

Then after a while, the puddle drys up, your image grows faint and starts to fade, then you have no hope.

Still, you must go on, and find another puddle, another life."

Darren's indomitable personality was sustained by his loving and attentive family, his loyal friends, and his devoted care workers. His family is grateful to the BC medical system for his care and support over all these years because his life certainly was worth living thanks to all of us. So finally thank you to Darren for demonstrating how to rise above adversity and to find and give as much joy in life as is possible. We will love him always and carry him in our hearts to the end of our days. The above photo was taken three hours before he passed away and we know he would want everyone to have such a great last day. A small private outdoor gathering will celebrate Darren's life during these covid times. In lieu of flowers, any donations could be made to jodickeyfoundation.ca which is a charitable organization that gave him a new tricycle.