it is so hard to believe that it has been 10 years since Darick was here with us.
Darick‘s creativity, kindness, generosity, and love was endless, and one of his dreams was to start a charity to provide dance classes to children, who did not have the financial means. In honor of Darick we were able to bring his dream to life in August of 2023 with the FOCUS Building Youth Charitable Foundation offering free dance classes to economically disadvantage children. His dream was to start here and keep going to grow the charity bigger and larger than life, providing opportunities to children on many different levels, and on behalf of Darick we will continue to dream big in Darick’s memory!
To my sweet precious Darick you are forever in my heart and memories of you I wrap around me like a warm blanket every day. ❤️Love with all my heart from Your wife and soulmate Monie

To my sweet precious Darick, we continue to honor, love and miss you everyday. We remember and celebrate your humor, wit, generosity, laugh, smile tenderness, and all the many things that make you so special. Love you from the bottom of my heart your soul mate Monie

Happy Birthday my precious Darick! Today as always we celebrate you and the amazing shooting star that you were! Your bright light still shines bright! Love you with all my heart. Love and Smiles your wife Monie

To Sweet, funny, witty, compassionate, talented, generous loving soulmate Darick! You are forever cherished and forever missed. Thank you for all the precious moments that are forever treasured and that continue to bring a smile to my face and warm my heart! What an amazing man, friend, soulmate and husband. As Holly said, when you were hugged by Darick you stayed hugged. You are forever missed and forever loved. xoxoxo Love you always... Love Monie

My Son My Sun...

It's been dark since you've gone. 
My Nightmares are eight years long.
The feeling of loss deepens each morning when I open my eyes
and I'm reminded it wasn't a dream and that I must go on.

Yet with each breaking day I wonder why?
With so many questions unanswered, the torment grows strong.

How do I find peace? How do I hold on?

My love for you has not altered from the blessed moment I held you in my arms and felt your delicate heartbeat upon mine, your little spirit shown so bright with your tiny arms so strong. 
You hugs gave peace and love and made right of what was wrong.

You spirit so sweet, blessed so many who gazed into your loving brown eyes.
You grew to become a perfect man, That! No one could deny.

Full of love and compassion, sweetness and kind you gave from the heart.
You stood for what was right and fought against the wrong.
Your humor healed broken hearts and your wisdom offered hope to go on.

The joy you blessed us with gave true meaning to the song
you left in our hearts once you were gone.

They say I must go on...
But if I knew how to get to you, I too would be gone.

So, till that time comes, for you, I will try to be strong and hope that some place in time I'll hold your spirit next to mine and listen to your song.

My days will be dark till I see you again and I'll have to find my way.
I hope and pray that someday I'll feel your hugs once again. 

My Son, My Sun, My Sweet Loving Son, my love for you will always live on.

Your Loving and Grateful! Mum. I Miss You So.

Hi Ramona,
      I went to Darick's Facebook page today to ask him, his advice about a script I am writing and sadly came across this. Our husbands meet 2 years ago when my husband responded to a water leak at your house. Darick was so kind and nice to him they got to chatting about water repairs, life and me. At the time I was a struggling makeup artist and Darick so kindly afford his name and number to me. I sent him message called him once about 2years ago we never got to talk. Today as I read over some material of mine his name popped in my head......only to find he was gone. So I am moved to write this to you and all who loved him. I am so sorry for your loss! It is clear to me after reading all the tributes that heaven has received a very wonderful, talented, thought provoking man that I am sad I never got to meet. I am grateful to the inspiring posts that he left behind. Darick has touched my life through his words.

Sincerely Chris

My heartfelt prayers to his entire family. I knew Darick in High school he was very polite, funny, outgoing, go-getter & from reading his biography he accomplished. Praying that God wraps his comforting arms around you all. Jacquelyn

Thank you! and blessings to you all who loved Darick Deon Parrish, the beautiful child I was given the blessed opportunity to be the vessel in which he came to us. I know he Is grateful for the loving support you share with one another and the light you allow to sine through of his memory. He Was and therefore Is With us, In us, and will forever be Part of us as we remember him and keep his light shining. The kindness he offered through his big hearted humor, sincere love that offered support, strength, devotion and protection and above all happiness to all he loved has changed us and he became us. Though he had no descendants of his own physical self he planted a seed of love and life lessons in each of us that I’m certain we will pass on to those we touch with his gifts. 
Remember to Always Remember Darick Deon Parrish, my Beautiful Sun.

"When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure"

Dear Monie,
Words seem inadequate to express the sadness we feel about Darick's demise. We are here to support you as you begin your journey without him. Wishing you peace and comfort during this difficult time, Anitha, Ravi, Ani & Arvind.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this most difficult time. Time heals but you never forget

We are so sorry for your loss Monie & family. When I think of Darick, I always remember the endless hours he put together or fixed trinkets given to the FOCUS dancers at the end of year FOCUS awards ceremony. He was always determined for perfection and he wanted every trinket to be special and perfect. I also remember how deeply he and Monie loved each other. They both always had a sparkle in their eyes when they were together. He will be missed although his memory will live forever in the trinkets he made each FOCUS dancer.❤️

Monie,
With Deepest Sympathy for this loss of Darick. Though there are no words to ease your sorrow hopefully the many people you have around with help ease some of your pain. Focus has given you a warm group of families that love you. We hold you close in our heart during this terrible loss. Love to you, Kelly,Michael & Kendal Schwabrow

How do you begin to describe a life in just a few moments…

The story begins in Columbus Georgia where he was born to Mary and Jerry Parrish, on April 24th 1971. He spent his childhood years growing up in Michigan along with his brother Vance.

Darick was a creative, mischievous, and funny child.
He always enjoyed and showed an appreciation for story telling. Vance and Darick would spend many nights creating stories with their stuffed animals. Darick always controlled DooDoo – a snoopy dog (think of Linus). Vance and Darick created a saga of stories for DooDoo, Tuffy, Speedy, Scrappy and others and their ongoing adventures.

Next Darick moved into his cool years filled with break dancing, the latest trends in fashion and impeccable hair. It was the 80s…what else can I say. Although at times he was shy, he used his lightning quick wit to break the ice, instantly winning hearts and creating lifelong friends.

After high school, while on a cruise with his dear friend and mentor Tom Baty, Darick met the love of his life. He went home and told stories of the girl he would marry. Monie, by the way, also returned home to Orange County and also told stories of a dreamy guy she’d met and knew was her soul mate. Darick soon headed west with two cheesy, hand-me-down suits from Vance and jars of spare change for gas, from his family, to begin his new relationship with Monie and break into acting.

He began his adventures in TV land as a production assistant, riding a bicycle through the Warner Bros lot delivering mail. With his eagerness and willingness to learn anything and everything, he evolved quickly into a valuable resource in the television industry. He found himself completely at home in the quirky, absurd world of MadTV. He had a dry sense of humor and a quick sharp wit.

Darick was devoted to Focus Dance Center. He and Monie worked as a team to create an environment that was safe and filled with creativity, love and passion for dance. A place where someone from 1 to 99 could come to enjoy the art of dance. His great joy at Focus was creating signature pieces for the annual concert series. During one of these concerts, he even brought a live vulture to the stage. His creativity was indeed boundless.

Darick had an inherent wisdom – many said he was wise beyond his years. His ability to connect to others’ needs and embrace them as his own made people around him feel loved and cherished. He gave to people selflessly, without reserve.

Darick had a thirst for knowledge and took it upon himself to constantly increase his knowledge. He wanted to know everything about everything – why is it…how does it…what is it…with this limitless desire for knowledge, his growth was constant!

Sometimes Darick seemed too much of Darick for his own good!

Someone very dear once said – when Darick hugged you, you stayed hugged.