'He was a force to be reckoned with': The too-short life of Danny King
Rugby player and powerlifter Danny King leaves a large void after his sudden passing
Those who knew Danny King well say he poured his heart into everything he did – rugby, powerlifting, teaching, construction, coaching, mentoring, and yes, partying.
Perhaps that's why his heart gave out on Jan. 17, costing the 44-year-old Waterford Valley High School teacher his life. King passed away in his sleep that Sunday, leaving many friends and students shocked and saddened by the news.
At the funeral – or Celebration of Life, as the pamphlet at St. James United Church called it Saturday morning – King's sister Lois Lacey told the congregation her brother had been hospitalized as a 12-year-old with a "heart problem," a murmur.
Kawasaki disease, she called it, and it caused King to lose 20 pounds, no easy feat for a 12-year-old boy.
However, while his heart may have had a medical ailment, it was always in the right place.
All his heart, all the time
Everything Danny King did – and he was a bit of a dynamo, full of frenetic energy, 100 per cent into whatever he was doing — he did it with all his heart. In fact, Lacey added, that childhood "sickness was a driving force" in how King volunteered his time and coached children.
King loved rugby. He loved powerlifting.
He loved his students, and teaching.
He loved his buddies at Swilers Rugby Club, an informal band of brothers who formed an Honour Guard at the church Saturday, so the King family could exit St. James in style.
While King gave much, he received as much or more. It's common upon the death of an individual to say nice things. King had people saying nice things about him BEFORE he died, which is a true sign that you are loved.
"Danny was a fun-loving guy," best friend Steve Campbell told me Swilers Complex, taking a break from the wake for a few moments to reflect on a life cut short. "On the field he was an animal. He was a force to be reckoned with, both on a lifting platform and the rugby field. People respected that.
'He just lit up a room'
"They knew he was a top-class athlete and a very powerful man. But when he was off the field, he was the kind of fella who would do anything for you. He was always around," he said.
"He had his crazy track suits and was just a fun loving guy. There's no two ways about it, he just lit up a room. I know that's cliché but everyone who has come across Danny had nothing but good things to say about him. He's just one of those guys who was the centre of attention, but in a good way."
Naturally, King was dearly loved by his family – parents Bill and Marie, brother Bill Jr. and sisters Lois and Lynn – but according to friends, he was adored by everybody he touched. And he touched a lot.
"He was young, 44, prime of his life," said David Penney, a friend since they both travelled to London for rugby in 1987.
"He loved life. They say live life. Well he did it. He lived life, every day. He inspired so many kids through his dedication to the sports that he loved. He's not going to be replaced. He's one of a kind and now he's gone."
Flashy wardrobe, but so much more
Jason Thompson is one of those kids. A Level II student at Waterford Valley High, Thompson was recruited to play rugby for King last summer. Although their time together was short, Thompson was emotional talking about King.
He was a sensitive soul, is what he was- Longtime friend David Penney
"He knew what I was capable of, and he brought the best out of people," said Thompson, stopping occasionally to control his emotions. "It's kind of tough talking about it. He was a good mentor. He knew exactly how to push your buttons and what made you work hard and do whatever you had to do.
"Everybody loves him. He would never bring you down or attempt to bring you down in any sort of way. He was a great man, really. In school and on the field."
King was well-known for a flashy wardrobe, especially his track suits. But his public persona – with the bodybuilder's physique, the tattoos, his on-field demeanour – was in sharp contrast to the person he actually was.
King was highly educated, with four university degrees: Bachelors of Arts, Education and Physical Education as well as a Master's of Physical Education (Honours).
'A big man, a powerful man'
He loved kids, his own nieces and nephews, and the students. And he loved his pets. But inside all of that, Penney said, was a gentle man.
"He was a sensitive soul, is what he was," said Penney, with Campbell nodding in agreement nearby.
"When you saw him on the rugby pitch or in a powerlifting meet, or if you saw the videos, you'd go 'This guy's crazy!' or 'This guy is out to destroy!' but when you got him one-on-one, he was a sensitive soul who cared about a lot … He's made a huge impact on so many kids' lives.
"He was a really nice guy."
For Campbell – who for 30 years called King his "right-hand man: everything I've experienced in sport, he was right next to me" – the outpouring of emotion from friends and strangers towards him shows what King meant to people.
"He's a big man, a powerful man," Campbell noted, eyes looking at the floor, feet shuffling nervously, the emotions getting the better of him. "He was built like one of those old mailboxes, and was the kind of guy who stood out in a room. But at the same time he was a fun-loving individual. He'd do anything for you and his teammates and his family. People liked that about him.
"To see him gone so quickly and suddenly is a shock to us all."