Forever a star

This is the plaque that shows the name of the star and where it is in the sky. Now Derek gets to be one of Heaven's brightest stars!

Whenever anyone thinks about Derek, there are always a few things that stand out.  How kind he was to anyone he came into contact with, the love he had for his friends and family, or his contagious smile. The list can go on and on, but his talent is something special that makes him stand out. Thousands of people would sit mesmerized as he sang his heart out in Loserville and belted notes that we all wished we could reach, or always nailing Maggie and Mollie's amazing choreography, even when it involved jumping on a table in Guys and Dolls.  He had the ability to make you cry from laughter or cry from a moving monologue. No matter what role he played, he stole the hearts of the entire audience. His stage presence was certainly something to be admired. His talent reached far beyond the stage as well. Baseball, photography, student publications....Derek was just a guy that could do it all! 

"Superstar" is a word that comes to mind, because that's what he was! He had the talent, the drive, and the light that so many strive for. After every show, after he would win an award from his photography, or really any time I would see Derek I would tell him, "You're a superstar, you know that??" and he would always respond with a heartfelt thanks, paired with that contagious laugh and smile. While I wish I could physically create a star, just for Derek for the world to see, naming one that's already there for his family in his memory will have to do. I'm so grateful to have been able to be a friend of Derek's. I feel blessed to have felt his love and to see all of the incredible things that he accomplished.  "Beauty exists not in what is seen and remembered, but in what is felt and never forgotten," and I know we will never forget Derek and how he made each and every one of us feel like we were one in a million. If you ever need a visual reminder, just look up into the night sky around Orion's Belt.  Derek's star is there, continuing to shine that light that we all know and love.

- Anonymous