With every great person, there is someone standing there encouraging them and giving them advice. With that, I have to give thanks to some very important people to me.A lot of you were there when I was completely down, lifting me up with jokes or you shed a few tears with me. To be honest, a lot of people I called friends showed their true colors when I needed them. For that, I am also grateful, because it allowed me to stop wasting energy in fruitless friendships.
Personally, I could have made it without you. But God puts everyone in my life for a reason, and I think He wanted to show me that all that glitters ain’t gold. So if you don’t get a shout out and it’s not because my mind forgot you and not my heart, too bad, so sad.
I have to start by giving a shout out to my family. Without my family, I would not even have graduated one time, let alone twice. My mom always gave me guidance when I needed it, and my dad always helped out when he could. It’s hard to believe that six years have passed since they congratulated me for my high school graduation, but time flies when you’re getting a degree.
The next people I want to thank are Ashley Jones, Alisia Sowden, Jarvis Fisher, John Merritt, David Pierre and Davin Pierre. These people are the ones who helped mold me into the man I am today. Without them, the Darryl D. that you know would not exist nor function as he is now.
The people who made me who I am professionally include The Gramblinite, GSU TV Center, and the Mass Communication Department. There are WAY too many people to thank in this category, so I’ll just leave the names out of this category. Everyone knows who he or she is, as they have all been an integral part of my life. Without any of you, I would probably still be some lame stuck in a dorm, playing Madden all day. Thanks for challenging me and making do things I never thought I could do.
Honestly, the Mass Communication Department kept me out of trouble more than it got me into it. I also learned to listen to people and that there were two sides to every story from working on the newspaper. Even though, to this day, I’m still getting blamed for things I had no control over, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything in the world.
Two of my favorite female friends, Rashunda “Nikki” Davis and Cherie Davis, have always given me insight on life decisions. I honestly don’t exactly remember how we met, but I’m blessed to have such dedicated friends to my well being. I still remember both of them ready to “ride or die” on a female that broke my heart.
This next group is a trio that I like to liken to my goon squad: Sherri Fields, Darnaé Taylor, and Keysha Martin. It’s been a wild, but fun ride, and I pray that ride continues. It’s crazy how we all connected so quickly and had each other’s back. We have to keep in touch, no matter what. And y’all already know what to do if you need me!
Two of the most passionate people that I’ve ever met in Grambling also deserve to get some credit for keeping me on my toes. SGA President Steven Jackson and Quantreus Hayes have been some cool friends since I met them. I find it funny how some people hate them, but I can say this: they always speak their minds.
I have to thank all of my professors, whether I made an A, B, or C in the class. They have challenged me, pushed me, annoyed me, etc., but they have made an impact on my life. Without them, I would’ve never walked any stage. So, for all the challenges, hard work, and headaches, I thank you.
Dr. Steve A. Favors has been one of my mentors since I’ve been at Grambling State. He has made sure I kept my head on straight, and he also got me to see that I was heading down a destructive path when I was just going crazy with my columns my junior and senior year. After talking to him, I realized I wasn’t having all of my facts straight, and it helped me slow it down. Thanks for that and all the other advice you’ve given me.
I also want to thank one of my moms away from home. Audrey Warren helped me from the moment I met her. She kept it 100 percent, even when it hurt. She helped me develop a tough shell, and I still have that shell today. Thanks for everything.
To everyone who was in my grad school classes, thank you. I would love to thank you all individually, but that would take up too much space. But you know exactly who you are, and I am very appreciative of you for letting me use your notes or helping me study for tests.
Thanks to Baptist Collegiate Ministry. I know I’ve been M.I.A. a few weeks, but trust me, I am grateful for every service. There was never a moment when you weren’t there for me or provided an uplifting moment. I am eternally grateful and hope that the organization continues to grow!
If I forgot to mention you here and you are truly a friend, I’m sorry. With limited space and tons of people to thank, it’s hard to limit your thanks. But those of you that have been there for me and helped me along the way, thank you from the bottom of my heart! You are indeed a blessing and God will bless you in return!