Mr. Burke your Son D’arcy asked me to write on this page because it was for his family. I honestly was very hesitant because I didn’t feel it was right to have my name on the same page as someone as honourable as your son. But I am going to take this opportunity to tell you about the man you raised as I experienced him.

I don’t remember meeting D’arcy exactly but I remember seeing this guy driving the flexmobile around the mountain and I thought man I want to friends with that guy... I was 17 years old fresh out of high school and a very long way from home. Running. Lost. It took awhile but eventually we met and became very close (at least for me). Even meeting you and Willa on couple of occasions. I’m convinced that without your son’s influence I would be dead or in jail.

You see Dennis ...D’arcy indirectly passed on a lot of the direction that you gave him on to me. Just by being the man you raised him to be. What a role model. So many times D’arcys words and examples have guided my decisions. All the good ones anyways. And it’s when I made my bad decisions and got in trouble that your son and his wife that stuck with me as people in my life were dropping around me like flies as I reaped every ounce of karma I sewed. And you would be very proud to know that D’arcy would also tell me the hard truth when no one else would. And deliver it in a way that was caring,kind, yet stern. Meant business kind of tone. Something that only a caring father can teach his son by example. Something that I have tried to emulate but still come so short of what D’arcy shown me. Willa I don’t mean to leave you out of this but I am also a father now of two amazing teenage sons and as a dad I can’t imagine your heart ache right now Dennis. I have come to realize the few moments I got to spend with you and D’arcy together was instrumental in setting me up to become the role model I’m trying to be for my sons.

Moments I remember...... there are so many. These were the ones that came with lessons.

The afternoon we waited outside the burned down remains of D’arcy and JDs home in Blueberry. All the times and laughs and bike rides that came out of the house. Yet no matter how painful it was to sit outside the remains of his life, they lost everything , D’arcy was adamant that we stayed until Johnathon showed up because we couldn’t reach him. (days before cell phones). JD had been thru a lot and D’arcy was worried what might happen if he showed up to his home burnt down. That was the day D’arcy taught me what it meant to be a friend.

The countless times he literally drug me home after we went on these epic rides to places that few people ever experience. Sometimes over 100km in distance!!!!!!! On a fucking bicycle!!!!!!I try to imagine that in my 46 year old carcass!!!!!!!“STARE AT MY BACK TIRE!!!!!!!!!” he would yell. The amount of times I heard that as I faded off the back.... The amount of times I have said that to myself when I would find myself in difficult situations.....D’arcy always talked so passionate about the times he spent with you in the mountains. A passion he passed on to me through biking. I don’t think I ever told Dirtbag ( one of his earliest knicknames) what his patience with me, teaching me how to bike, what that did for me. It taught me that I was capable of unimaginable things, to believe in myself. It gave me a love and appreciation of the outdoors that I hold dear to me to this day. Two very precious gifts.

As a 46 year old with sometimes debilitating mental illness (something we did not know or talk about back then ....) I remember some really,really dark moments back then. I would explode in rage and your son would sometimes talk me down. Or the day that I felt so worthless, unwanted. We were driving somewhere and I couldn’t get my feelings into words but D’arcy was able to say something that to this day proves my worth as a person. He said “ James I choose my friends very ,very carefully.” WOW!!!!! I was this guys friend!!!!! What a gift.

Mr. And Mrs. Burke I could go on and on. But I thought I would share a lighter memory I have.

On one of our many rides to Tenquille lake as we traversed thru the high alpine your son played the best prank on me yet still to this day. As D’arcy was incredibly strong and fit ( I never ever once beat him on a climb) sped off ahead and hid behind a bush. As I came riding haplessly along and rode into this very hard little alpine tree. At perfect handle bar height. I was cooking. Man did I go arse over tea kettle. Up jumped D’arcy snickering and laughing. I can still see an hear him. I will always see and hear that moment. That fucker had done the exact same thing the week before on his ride he explained as he laughed. He planned the whole ride to get me up there, to race in front of me cause he knew I’d chase. And watch me go flying!!!!! Classic. I had to laugh even in the pain of the crash. Hahahahaha.

my battery is dieing On my iPad. I feel like a piece of me is dying. I end by saying your son means more to me than I can put in to words.

All the best in the trying days going forward.

Warmest regards,

James Culgin.