Looking back to the past was beneficial for memories and learning, but her vision was focused on the future without missing out on the present opportunities. She would occasionally message a friend about a job opportunity or an interesting idea. She grew through these connections and branching upwards through the many associations and relationships that she made. She exuded positivity while being humble. She had a sense of perspective that allowed her to be genuinely empathetic or sympathetic to others’ discord or pain. She seemed to have inner peace, and if she had a rough time, she would take a breather and come back renewed as if to pick up the pieces through a constructive process.
She excelled in almost everything she participated in. Her high school Valedictorian Address, was a clarion call to the graduates to embrace life because they had only one life to live. She encouraged the graduates to create a map of their dreams; to follow their goals and do what it takes to make you genuinely happy; to live life to its fullest and be prepared to take risks; don’t follow a monotonous lifestyle holding you to the past; we all will struggle but we need to enjoy every second of our lives. Her speech was not a list of bromides; her life post-high school showed she stuck to this creed.
She deeply cared for the protection of animals. But it was specifically the right whale that she studied after she enrolled and was accepted to Dalhousie University. It may have been her desire to help this beautiful creature and prevent its extinction, but she had empathy for all aspects of nature that were indefensibly marginalized.
Her friends said she lit up a room when she entered. They felt not only safe around her but that she would guide them. If you were a friend of hers, you struck it rich. She would routinely send family and friends a card, sometimes with her artwork on the cover, and the thoughts she expressed were genuine and loving; she made you feel special. Her gifts were meaningful and from her heart; you knew you were loved.
Danielle also had a dry sense of humour and it was somewhat quirky. Her giggle was infectious; one just had to smile. It was that quirkiness and happiness that she brought to any setting that just made you want to be in her presence. She made you feel loved. It was because she was comfortable with herself that she was a nonconformist. Life was a gift to her; she didn’t take it for granted. By giving back more than she took, she planted seeds of beauty, love and hope.
Throughout most of university life, she planned her family’s annual trip. This was an adventure that was filled with love and happiness. She was applying her management skills to connect with her family; she was our planner and navigator.
Like roots of a tree, Danielle could sense fertile beds of her social network and available resources and help it thrive. She had a deep taproot that could dampen out the noise or avoid toxic elements while striving towards creating and building beauty not for herself, but for all; she is the tree of life.
Her blog, ‘The Cautious Optimist’ exposes her sense of humour while dealing with the troubling problems the world continues to face. It was her way to cope with existential issues. She knew we had to get back to the fundamentals in life because she could see the planet over-polluted and its organic life dying at the hand of humankind’s recklessness, greed and apathy. She mused, that it was essential that we grieve for the loss of life and other aspects of nature, but that we also needed to heal. Through her writing, we can feel the hope she had for the future because she was actively directing solutions to us so we could continue to live. She chose hope instead of detachment and apathy because she loved life and nature to the core.
The Dean of Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa wrote to us explaining why she was selected as an excellent candidate for teacher: Danielle had detailed the five most important traits of being a good teacher were patience, curiosity, creativity, adaptability and leadership. Leading by example, these traits too exemplify Danielle’s nature and were key factors for being chosen as one of the three youth to represent Canada at the United Nations Environmental Assembly.
Her life was not in vain. We are now students of hers and will continue to carry Danielle’s light and share all her messages of continuing to give hope.
