Editor,
Earlier this year, I attended the funeral service for Darryl White. I was not surprised at the remarks made about Darryl’s life, as he was one who lived into the faith he had and the principles which guided his life. It was a moving ceremony and a wonderful affirmation of a life lived in service to others, as well as his own Christian faith.
Remarkably, one of the speakers relayed a story of Darryl’s pulling him over for speeding, and then simply having a memorable conversation with him before giving him a warning and letting him go. It reminded me of a story in my family that I shared with close friends when Darryl died, and one I promised his wife I would share with others. Once again, it speaks to the character of the man Darryl was.
My younger sister suffered from kidney failure as a young woman, and when her condition worsened, she moved back to San Marcos to live with my mother Rouye Rush. After several years of waiting, and while on dialysis and hoping for a kidney transplant, Candice got that much-anticipated call from her nephrologist in Austin, saying that they had a match for her and that she needed to get to Brackenridge Hospital as soon as she could. Time was of the essence. My mother and sister jumped into the car pell-mell and headed out to Austin. Under normal circumstances, my mother was an excellent driver but under these circumstances, she was exceeding the speed limit on Interstate 35 to get her daughter to the hospital. In her rearview mirror, she saw the dreaded flashing lights and pulled over. Who would emerge from his DPS car but Darryl White! She explained the situation and the reason for her speeding. There would be no ticket. Darryl hastily instructed her to follow closely behind him to Brackenridge Hospital, as he would “escort” her safely there. I’m not sure another officer would have done the same (perhaps, he/she would), but the fact is that Darryl did and, in that moment, he became a hero in our family lore. My sister received a transplanted kidney and lived 19 more years. Thank heavens for people who see beyond the moment to those “exceptions to the rules” and know when it’s best to bend a little. Thank you, Darryl. You remain one of our family heroes!
Dianne Rush Pape
San Marcos
