If you were to ask us today, “who was Derren?” We’re sure that our response would be different for everyone. If you ever encountered Derren, you know every interaction with him was different. Nowadays, we experience our social interactions through social media and use it as our primary form of communication and we’ve lost touch of interpersonal relationships. But if Derren was in front of you, he would seize every opportunity to talk, and to get to know you. He was a social butterfly to say the least.

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He could talk for hours. Whether it was to talk about his love for Marvel comics/movies, or simply just to ask how your day was going, Derren was always passionate in making connections with everyone around him. He had a genuine heart and loved unconditionally.

For 17 years, we watched him smile, laugh, cry, play, and sometimes even fall but then get right back up and say, “I’m okay” and continue forward.

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He was passionate. And when he set his mind on something that he wanted to do, there was no stopping him. If he wanted to dance, he danced. If he wanted to sing, he sang. He didn’t care who saw or who heard. Instead, he wanted to share the things he loved to do with others. Derren was talented, smart, funny, and wanted to share himself with the world.

Derren’s dream was to become an actor, and in case that didn’t work, a forensic scientist. Talk about completely opposite ends of the spectrum, right? But that’s who Derren was. He was a well-rounded individual who could adapt to anything and any personality. Whatever you needed him to be, he would do it in a heartbeat. If you needed to laugh, he’d tell you a joke or simply if you needed a shoulder to cry on, he was there to listen. If you ever encountered his artistical side, you could see his passion for what he loved. We remember overhearing him downstairs every day for hours working on a new song or new video to share with his friends. We know he even took special request from some of you all.

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Derren lived his life to the fullest, and never had a regret for any choice he made. Derren knew who he was, what he was created for and his mission in life. Which like all of us, the mission is to be a gift to others and to LOVE.  A word that We’re sure resonates in the hearts of every single one of us when we think about Derren. Love! You could see it in his eyes when he looked at you. You could hear it in his voice when he spoke to you. And when he hugged you, We know you could feel it there too. A love given without need for reciprocation.

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Derren was living proof of who we are all called to be. To be selfless, a genuinely good person, and someone who gets the undivided attention of everyone and causes change. The definition of a hero. And just like all the comics, shows, and movies, he loved, Derren was a beacon of hope for others. Derren was a superhero. Derren is our superhero!