When the universe takes away someone we love, the world shifts on its axis, leaving us to navigate the void left behind. In an intimate conversation with Dawn Ward, we explore the vibrant life and sudden loss of her brother, Darrell Collier. Dawn's poignant recollection of Darrell's passions for rock bands like AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, and his fervent sports fandom brings to life the essence of a man whose spirit danced to the rhythm of adventure and outspokenness. Her stories, filled with both laughter and tears, invite us into the sacred spaces of shared memories and demonstrate the enduring bond of siblings.
As we weave through the tapestry of Darrell's legacy, the episode also casts a gentle light on the shadows of grief that fall upon a family after tragedy strikes. Dawn opens up about the emotional landscapes of loss, the places that echo with absence, and the personal steps towards healing. We consider an alternate reality where sorrow didn't touch their lives, pondering how different the world might be with Darrell still in it. This episode isn't just a tribute; it's a heart-to-heart on living through loss and finding fragments of solace in a world forever changed. Join us for this moving testament to love, legacy, and the bittersweet symphony of life.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Joseph Cramer (00:00):
On the night of April 15, 1994, 23-year-old
store manager Daryl Collier andhis crew were working at
Popeye's Chicken and Gas inAlabama, off Megan Boulevard.
After the store had closed, heand his staff, Tamika Collins,
Brant Archer and Nathaniel Baker, were closing up for the night.
As Daryl opened the door, twoassailants entered.
Unfortunately, he, Tamika andNathaniel, lost their lives
(00:21):
during a brutal shooting.
The family never spoke to anyreporters from the time of the
murder until now.
This interview has beencompiled by phone starting on
the day of February 25th of 2023.
The final question is beingasked on May 22nd 2024.
Some names may be silenced fornondisclosure, but these
questions and answers are totell the best known knowledge of
(00:44):
the life of Darrell Collier.
Listen in with my guest, DawnWard.
Let's start from the verybeginning.
As a younger sibling, what wasit like for you growing up with
Daryl?
Dawn Ward (00:56):
Daryl was fun growing up.
He liked to cut up.
He loved to joke around, havefun.
He loved to joke around, havefun.
We would sit and watch TV Dukesof Hazzard when we were kids
shows like that, that was one hereally liked.
We would play board games,listen to music, and then you
(01:21):
got to remember I was a littlegirl too when he was a teenager.
So there was a lot of times alot of his friends would come
over and he'd be trying to havefun and I was the annoying
little sister trying to butt inand he would pick on me a little
bit and he would come back andafter his friends would leave
he'd come back and he would sitdown and talk with me and spend
(01:43):
time with me and do things.
He taught me how to read, hetaught me how to write, he
taught me how to ride a bike.
He really was like a dad to me.
Joseph Cramer (01:53):
Before speaking about music, could you tell me
his favorite band?
Dawn Ward (01:57):
That's easy ACDC and Guns N' Roses.
He checked me out of schoolafter the night it was on my
birthday and I think, like thenight before there was acdc
concert, you know and he went toit.
Uh, he said it was so cool.
I can't remember the name ofthe concert, but you know he
said they come down and like abell and it went back and forth.
(02:18):
That was when they were, youknow, hell's bells was playing.
He said it was awesome.
So yeah, he was a huge acd andGuns N' Roses fan.
Joseph Cramer (02:28):
And, in your own opinion, would you have
considered him to be more quietor more outspoken?
Dawn Ward (02:33):
No, darryl's outspoken.
I can definitely say that IfDarryl's seen something that was
wrong or if it wasn't right,he'd tell you about it.
He wouldn't let his friendsdisrespect their mom.
He would get all over themabout it.
If he'd seen anything wrong orsomething that was not right, he
would tell you about it.
(02:54):
And the reason is growing up,our parents taught us to always
let your voice be heard.
If you see something that isgoing on that is wrong, don't
let it sit there and happen.
There's too much hatred in theworld for you to sit there and
ignore something bad, and thatis what mom and dad both used to
(03:15):
teach us.
You got to love everybody andmake sure you're spoken and
vocal about it.
And by gosh, he was, like Isaid, especially with his
friends.
I know there was one time Mamawas telling me that he was one
of his friends, was picking onhis mom, real bad and Daryl got
(03:37):
on to him about it, told him heneeded to quit.
That was his mom.
Joseph Cramer (03:41):
Could you tell me if Daryl was more of an indoor
guy or an outdoor guy?
Explain to me why.
Dawn Ward (03:46):
Darrell was definitely an outdoor person.
He was always outside.
He would play football, he wasplaying basketball, he was
playing baseball, he was justrunning around riding bikes with
his friends, just always doingthings like that.
He never really was one to sitin the house and sit on his butt
(04:09):
.
He, you know, he said there's aworld out there, go outside and
enjoy it.
That's what God put it here for.
So that's what he did.
Joseph Cramer (04:18):
What is your fondest memory of Daryl?
Dawn Ward (04:21):
That would have to be .
After I started my period.
I was 11 years old.
Mom had told him and I think hehad just come in from work when
he worked at Popeyes on RainbowDrive.
He was standing in the kitchenand fixing him something to eat
and I had come in there to getsomething to drink.
He started talking to me aboutmy period and we talked about
(04:44):
everything under the sun, youknow, and I remember at that
time when he was talking to me,I wish he would hush.
I wanted to go to sleep becauseit was like 2 o'clock in the
morning, but he kept talking andwe talked until I think it was
4 in the morning, just standingthere in that kitchen.
And you know, like I said atthe time, that drove me nuts.
(05:05):
But now that is one of the bestmemories I've got, because that
was Darryl.
If he seen you, he would takethe time out to sit down and
talk with you about what wasgoing on with you.
And I took that time with himand I didn't even get to go to
school the next day.
Mom, let me stay out of schoolbecause Darryl was keeping me up
talking.
So that's one of the bestmemories that I have.
Joseph Cramer (05:29):
I see from his photos that he was in the sports
.
Could you tell me who hisfavorite sports team was?
Dawn Ward (05:34):
Okay, yeah, Darryl had a favorite sport.
He loved football and he was anAlabama fan and he liked the
Raiders, and as for baseball, itwas the Atlanta Braves and,
honestly, I can't remember whohis favorite players were, but
those were his favorite teams.
Joseph Cramer (05:54):
You remember when he started working for Popeye's
Chicken?
Dawn Ward (05:57):
I couldn't tell you the year, but he was 16 years
old.
It was his first job and hestarted working at Popeye on.
It was Rainbow Drive and yeah,we stopped by there all the time
.
We'd go in there and Darrylwould give me some chicken and
biscuits.
Mom would sit there, mom wouldcome by there all the time.
(06:18):
And I know one Easter mother'safter he done become manager I
think it was shift manager atthe time, I can't remember, but
mom had made easter baskets andshe he wasn't living at home by
this time and mom had went upthere to give him his easter
basket and they started ragginghim about it there in popeyes
(06:39):
and he jumped their butts toleave him alone.
But that was his mama, so hewas really protective of mama.
But yeah, we stopped by thereall the time.
I mean all the time dan did, Idid dad, mom, me and my
boyfriend.
We would go in there and sitdown and see him.
You need to get busy and ofcourse, you have to run off and
take care of customers and wouldyou say he excelled at his work
(07:01):
?
Yeah, he did.
He did very well at his job.
He put 100% in whatever he didand he excelled.
He put 100% in whatever he didin life and he did very well at
it.
Joseph Cramer (07:17):
As a family.
Did you guys ever go out toPopeye's to eat together?
Dawn Ward (07:20):
No, as a whole family we didn't, because mom and dad
divorced when I was 12 years oldand so me and mother would go
up there and have dinner,sometimes regularly, with Daryl.
When we lived in Rainbow Citywe lived over at Columbia Square
, so we would go over there afew times and we'd sit down and
(07:41):
eat with him.
And now my mother at this timedid not like chicken, but she
would go in there and she wouldsit down and Daryl would fix her
a few things that he knew sheliked, so his mama had something
good to eat and we would sitdown and talk to him.
Joseph Cramer (07:58):
Can you tell me about the purchase of his first
vehicle?
Dawn Ward (08:01):
He was dating a girl named Meeza at the time and
she's the one who found it andthey went and got it together.
And I remember the night beforehe went and got it he literally
could not sleep.
He was so anxious.
He was ready to go buy thatJeep.
That was his baby.
After he bought it, thatdefinitely was his baby.
(08:22):
He was so proud of that Jeep.
Joseph Cramer (08:24):
Dale decided to get married at some point.
Could you tell me about hisproposal, his wedding and his
emotions leading up to that?
Dawn Ward (08:31):
Oh yeah, I remember when he got married we had a
little grill that mother wouldgrill on and I remember he come
and got the grill and I don'tremember the exact way he
proposed, but I remember hecooked some steak dinner for me
(08:56):
and then he proposed to her.
They got married at thecourthouse.
They didn't want to do anythingreal big.
This was in 92.
Let's see, I was there, mom wasthere.
I think I think I was there.
I think I was there.
I think I was, I was there.
(09:16):
I can't remember if anyone elsewas.
To be honest with you, but itwas a short, quick, sweet
ceremony at the courthouse.
Oh, and as for his emotions,yeah, he was nervous about
proposing.
He sat down and talked to meabout it.
He was excited, but he wasreally nervous.
He was afraid she was going tosay no.
(09:37):
I kept asking why.
He couldn't ever give me areason why.
But he was very happy when himand I got married.
He was really happy.
Joseph Cramer (09:47):
You remember when he and his wife found out that
they were expecting a child?
Dawn Ward (09:51):
I was pregnant with Jason when they got married.
He was very excited and nervousabout becoming a father.
He was very excited and nervousabout becoming a father.
He was always afraid he wasn'tgoing to be a good dad.
I don't know why, you know, andI don't know why he thought
(10:20):
that.
But now you know, after Ibecome a mom myself, you know I
get that nervousness when it'syour child.
But Daryl was great.
He was like any typical man.
He would pick on her and dothings like that, but overall
Daryl was great with her.
He was really great and then hewas a good dad.
Daryl was such a good dad.
Joseph Cramer (10:36):
As a younger sibling, I know what it feels
like when an older brother orsister moves out of the home.
How did it feel to you whenDarrell moved out?
Dawn Ward (10:42):
I was brokenhearted, to be honest with you.
You know he was my go-to.
He was the one that you knowwas always there for whatever I
needed, no matter how silly itwas the little talks and
sneaking cookies from his room,where he'd keep cookies at, I'd
(11:05):
go in there and I'd get somecookies.
He would hide them so mybrother wouldn't get into them
because he'd have a snack everynow and then I'd go in his room
and get cookies.
I was kind of brokenhearted.
Mom explained it was time Darylwas growing up and it was time
for him to venture out on hisown.
She said eventually you'll doit one day.
(11:26):
I knew I would, but I just Imissed my brother.
I wanted him back home.
Joseph Cramer (11:33):
Do you remember his feelings or emotions when he
reached the goal of storemanager at Popeyes?
Dawn Ward (11:37):
Honestly, I think his emotions was when he took the
store in East Gadsden.
That's the one he becamemanager on.
He was excited about the moneythat he would be able to provide
and the things he would be ableto do for his family because he
would be making more money atthat store, because it did more
business than the one in RainbowCity, if I'm remembering that
(12:00):
correctly.
Joseph Cramer (12:02):
Darryl was originally working at Rainbow
City, but he transferred toGadsden.
Could you tell me if he was astore manager while he was at
the Rainbow City store or if hewas a manager in training before
he swapped over?
Dawn Ward (12:13):
I don't remember how long he was a store manager over
at the one in Rainbow City butthe one in Gadsden.
Sadly, he didn't even make it aweek.
He had just become storemanager.
I think he'd been there fivedays when everything happened at
Popeye's.
Joseph Cramer (12:31):
On the day of the crime?
Do you remember where you wereand how you found out?
Dawn Ward (12:35):
That day is seared in my brain.
I will never forget that day.
It was raining and I went outon a date with my boyfriend and
I was actually supposed to havebeen home at a certain time and
I called Mom and I told her thatI was going to be late.
And we rode by and Matt askedme if I wanted to stop and see
(12:57):
Daryl, and I said no.
And Matt asked me if I wantedto stop and see Daryl, and I
said no.
Now, oddly, I've thought aboutthis probably every day right
after it happened and almostevery day since.
He asked me to stop by at theexact same time that the, the
robbery was taking place.
I'll never forget that.
But, but you know, I said nope,I'm late, mom's going to be mad
(13:20):
, I need to get home.
So, and I got home, like atprobably about 12, 20.
No, I got home about yeah,about it was about 12, 20, 12,
30 when I got home that night.
Yeah, I'll never forget thatday.
(13:41):
I remember getting up and goingto school.
They were giving a.
We had to give essays.
A friend of mine had given anessay on actually capital
punishment of all things, and hethought that you know people of
capital.
You know that committed capitalpunishment that committed that
(14:02):
crime.
Families should be able to dowhat they wanted in return.
And everybody's arguing thereand I agreed with the guy and
for some reason that just stuckout in my mind, I guess because
of the irony of what happened.
Come home and it was rainingand me and Matt were supposed to
go out, and we're supposed togo out and do something, but we
(14:23):
didn't.
We went and had Chinese andthen went back to his house and
watch movies and then come home.
Joseph Cramer (14:31):
Yeah, I'll never forget that day, ever and did
you come to the scene of thecrime or watch it on television?
Dawn Ward (14:38):
No, I was at home.
Lauren called, that was mystepdad, and he told his dad who
I called Pawpaw, he talked tohim and then when they hung up,
he was supposed Pop was supposedto tell me and he didn't.
And he just said you know,there was a robbery, there was
(14:59):
two guys.
That was all he said.
And I went back to bed and thenLauren come busted in my room.
He never done that.
I knew something was wrong.
But he come busted in the room.
He said Don, you got to get up.
So I knew something was wrong.
I didn't question him.
I got up and I walked down thehall Bear with me and actually
(15:30):
how my?
We started to find out thatsomething was wrong.
After Matt dropped me off.
He got back home and he calledand he says Don, is Daryl okay?
And I was like, what do youmean?
Is Daryl okay?
He said when I rode by Popeye's.
He said the ambulance, the firetrucks, the paddy wagon,
everything is over there.
Something is wrong.
I said, hang on, let me go tellMom.
So I go tell Mother.
(15:52):
Mother was working for Guest andTelephone Answering Service at
the time and they had securityservices there so they were
always listening to CB.
You know the CB radios andthings like that.
So she called and she talked tothe lady there and she said,
yeah, something happened.
But they already knew somethinghad happened to Daryl because
they had heard it over thescanner, but they didn't tell
mom.
And mom and my stepdad and Danall got up and went down there
(16:16):
and mother standing there andthe police chief comes up and he
starts to tell mom.
He said there's no either wayto tell you this.
And mama looks at him and saysyou mean to tell me my son's
dead?
And he just said yes, ma'am, Iam.
And there was a picture thatwas snapped in the gadsden times
(16:37):
and you can see my uncle ron.
He was a fireman at the time.
He's standing there and mystepdad is standing there and
then my mother is snuggled, gother head snuggled in between
them and that was snapped rightafter she found out.
Joseph Cramer (16:53):
What were your feelings when Parada and Melson
were captured?
Dawn Ward (16:57):
I was relieved.
I was relieved and shocked thatthey got him so quick.
We were lucky Me and mom'stalked about this so many times.
They got him really quick.
You know, if it wasn't forBrian giving the details like he
(17:18):
did, I don't know if they wouldhave been able to catch him as
fast as they did.
But I was happy that they wereoff the street, that they
wouldn't go down to do this toanyone else's families, because
(17:39):
four families lost loved ones.
And then you got Brian, who washurt extremely bad.
He got shot four times and hewas left for dead and he has
suffered because of it.
So I was very happy that theywere gone.
Joseph Cramer (17:55):
And two years later, what were your feelings
when they were convicted?
Dawn Ward (17:59):
I was actually very happy with the conviction of
Meltzen getting the deathsentence and Perretta getting
life without parole.
I was very happy.
It was relief.
My brother and Tamika andNathaniel and Brian all had
(18:23):
their justice.
We got to see our justice.
We got to see the justice.
It took forever.
That's the only thing thatsucks with the justice system it
takes forever, but it finallyhappened and we were happy.
I was happy with it.
(18:45):
Yeah, I was very happy with it,very happy did you attend any
of the trials?
no, I didn't.
I was married at the time andliving in Birmingham when the
trial started and I couldn't go.
Mom went and she was there fora few days and they started
(19:05):
showing, you know, the crimepictures and she seen a picture
of Darryl.
She couldn't go back after that, she was just devastated.
She said that was somethingthat she couldn't see no more.
So she kept up with it.
You know, through the news andthrough Everyone like that, and
I didn't go.
Like I said, I was married andI wasn't even living around here
(19:28):
at the time.
I was in Birmingham but I wentto the arraignment.
That's the only one I went to.
Joseph Cramer (19:34):
How did you feel about the death of Robert Bryant
Nelson being carried out anddid you attend?
Dawn Ward (19:40):
I was happy with it.
It gave me closure with it.
It gave me closure that daywhen June 2017, I'm trying to
remember, I get dates messed upbut when he finally got his
(20:00):
death sentence, I sat there thatnight, you know, and I had the
option to go, me and mom and Dan, Jesse and all of us.
We decided not to go and thenalabamacom reported that I was
there and I had to go and get ahold of them and get that fix.
Let them know that I was notthere.
(20:22):
After it was over and I got theword that Meltzen was gone, I
was standing in the kitchen withmy husband and two kids and I
had a good relief cry and theysat there and held me.
It was all years of sadness andfrustration and being pissed
(20:43):
off and everything just come outin that cry.
I was relieved it was over.
I was relieved that my motherwas still alive to be able to
see the man that killed her soncome to justice.
Fortunately, my dad didn't makeit.
He passed away before ithappened.
But, yeah, I was relieved.
(21:06):
It was like a huge weight waslifted off my shoulders.
Joseph Cramer (21:11):
And do you feel like Tumoke Parada, not being
the shooter but being the insideman with all the knowledge and
intent, should have received aheavier sentence?
Dawn Ward (21:21):
I've thought about that over the years.
I really have no-transcript seea light of day to be able to
(21:48):
hurt another family member.
No families deserve to gothrough what we went through, so
I'm happy.
Joseph Cramer (21:57):
If you could say anything to Pareto right now,
what would those words be?
Dawn Ward (22:02):
Because of your actions.
You took Daryl away from hisson and wife, his sister and his
brother and his parents.
You took Tamika away from herfamily.
You took Nathaniel away fromhis and you gave Brian ungodly
(22:25):
nightmares and destroyed part ofhis life that he'll never be
able to regain.
Honestly, I don't even know if Iwould say anything to him.
You can scratch all that.
I don't want to see him.
I don't want to talk to him.
(22:45):
Scratch all that.
I don't want to see him.
I don't want to talk to him.
Don't want nothing to do aboutit.
I just it's been so hard.
You know, next year will be 30years since this happened, and
it's's just.
It was so hard for so long.
(23:07):
So, yeah, no, I don't want tosay anything to him because I
can't say exactly what I want tosay.
I can't get the words to comeout of my mouth.
Be honest with you.
It's a lot of anger, a lot ofsadness, a lot of distress.
He caused ungodly trauma theonly one way to put it to so
(23:36):
many people's lives forabsolutely nothing, because they
were bored.
So he don't deserve to hear anywords from me or hear my mouth
spoken on him.
I hope he rots in hell.
Joseph Cramer (23:56):
Did you ever revisit Popeye's on Megan
Boulevard, either to eat thereor gain your own perspective of
things?
Dawn Ward (24:03):
Actually, yeah, I did .
I did several things.
One thing I did is after ithappened, it was maybe two or
three days.
Two days later I went up thereand I seen Bryant.
I talked to him and then abouta month later I went to Popeye's
because I felt just like I hadto see it for my own eyes.
You know there were severalthings I went through just to
(24:24):
kind of close it out, you know,to get you know, help me heal
several things I had wentthrough just kind of close it
out, you know, to get you know,help me heal.
I've seen the cooler, I've seenthe inside and then what you
could see, because there wassome boxes in the way.
And then I went and seen thethe backside and talked to the
manager for a little bit and sheknew Daryl and we talked about
that and I can't even rememberthat, that conversation.
(24:46):
But as for eating at Popeye's,I've not been able to go back.
I tried one time and I had abad experience with the staff
and it was.
It was a horrible experienceand I didn't want to hold that
against them for my reasons fornot going back.
But but I just I can't eatPopeye's chicken Now other
(25:08):
people in my family, my brother,he can eat it and don't have a
problem.
You know, so can other, youknow family members, but for me
personally I just can't.
It just brings back too manymemories.
Joseph Cramer (25:21):
For persons and families who have endured the
pain that you and yours have andwill in the future.
What words of advice could yougive them to begin healing or
making it through the days thatare not easy to get through?
Dawn Ward (25:33):
Grief is hard, especially when you lose
somebody the way we lost Daryl.
The best advice I can giveeverybody is to take it one day
at a time.
It does get better, but itnever really gets easier.
And on those really really harddays, make sure you pray.
(25:53):
Pray to God and ask him to helptake it away, because that's
what's worked for me.
Joseph Cramer (26:00):
And I have one last question.
Paint a picture of how muchdifferent you think life would
be if this event never unfolded.
Imagine Darryl came home to hiswife and son that night and
none of this ever happened.
What do you think Darryl wouldbe doing right now?
Do you think you and yourmother and brother may be on a
different path in life, or doyou think you would be exactly
where you are now?
Dawn Ward (26:22):
I think things would be a lot different because my
family was a lot closer whenDaryl was alive.
We had family functions and didthings like that and then,
after Daryl died, we had thefamily functions and things, but
it just wasn't the same.
There was a big piece of ourheart missing.
(26:42):
Daryl really was the glue toour family and honestly I think
if he was still alive Darylwould be thriving in his life.
You know he would be so proudof his son.
Jc has excelled in many, manyways.
(27:03):
I don't think mom would havesunk into the deep depression
that she did, nor Dan or me.
It affected us all pretty,pretty bad.
And my dad he actually wassober when Daryl died and dad
went back to drinking after that.
So yeah, I think my familydynamics would still be really
(27:26):
close if Darryl was still alive.
You know he never got.
He didn't get to meet my kids.
You know I become a mother, youknow, two months before my 20th
birthday with my daughter andthen I had my son five years
later.
He missed out on all that.
He missed out on Dan's kidsbeing born later.
(27:51):
He missed out on all that.
He missed out on Dan's kidsbeing born he's.
And I think.
I think if Daryl was alive Iwould probably be able to be
happier in my life, because apart of me I got to be honest
with you a part of me is missing.
I've not really told peoplethat, but part of me died that
day that Daryl died.
On the night of April 15, 1994, 23-year-old
store manager Daryl Collier andhis crew were working at
Popeye's Chicken and Gas inAlabama, off Megan Boulevard.
After the store had closed, heand his staff, Tamika Collins,
Brant Archer and Nathaniel Baker, were closing up for the night.
As Daryl opened the door, twoassailants entered.
Unfortunately, he, Tamika andNathaniel, lost their lives
(00:21):
during a brutal shooting.
The family never spoke to anyreporters from the time of the
murder until now.
This interview has beencompiled by phone starting on
the day of February 25th of 2023.
The final question is beingasked on May 22nd 2024.
Some names may be silenced fornondisclosure, but these
questions and answers are totell the best known knowledge of
(00:44):
the life of Darrell Collier.
Listen in with my guest, DawnWard.
Let's start from the verybeginning.
As a younger sibling, what wasit like for you growing up with
Daryl?
Dawn Ward (00:56):
Daryl was fun growing up.
He liked to cut up.
He loved to joke around, havefun.
He loved to joke around, havefun.
We would sit and watch TV Dukesof Hazzard when we were kids
shows like that, that was one hereally liked.
We would play board games,listen to music, and then you
(01:21):
got to remember I was a littlegirl too when he was a teenager.
So there was a lot of times alot of his friends would come
over and he'd be trying to havefun and I was the annoying
little sister trying to butt inand he would pick on me a little
bit and he would come back andafter his friends would leave
he'd come back and he would sitdown and talk with me and spend
(01:43):
time with me and do things.
He taught me how to read, hetaught me how to write, he
taught me how to ride a bike.
He really was like a dad to me.
Joseph Cramer (01:53):
Before speaking about music, could you tell me
his favorite band?
Dawn Ward (01:57):
That's easy ACDC and Guns N' Roses.
He checked me out of schoolafter the night it was on my
birthday and I think, like thenight before there was acdc
concert, you know and he went toit.
Uh, he said it was so cool.
I can't remember the name ofthe concert, but you know he
said they come down and like abell and it went back and forth.
(02:18):
That was when they were, youknow, hell's bells was playing.
He said it was awesome.
So yeah, he was a huge acd andGuns N' Roses fan.
Joseph Cramer (02:28):
And, in your own opinion, would you have
considered him to be more quietor more outspoken?
Dawn Ward (02:33):
No, darryl's outspoken.
I can definitely say that IfDarryl's seen something that was
wrong or if it wasn't right,he'd tell you about it.
He wouldn't let his friendsdisrespect their mom.
He would get all over themabout it.
If he'd seen anything wrong orsomething that was not right, he
would tell you about it.
(02:54):
And the reason is growing up,our parents taught us to always
let your voice be heard.
If you see something that isgoing on that is wrong, don't
let it sit there and happen.
There's too much hatred in theworld for you to sit there and
ignore something bad, and thatis what mom and dad both used to
(03:15):
teach us.
You got to love everybody andmake sure you're spoken and
vocal about it.
And by gosh, he was, like Isaid, especially with his
friends.
I know there was one time Mamawas telling me that he was one
of his friends, was picking onhis mom, real bad and Daryl got
(03:37):
on to him about it, told him heneeded to quit.
That was his mom.
Joseph Cramer (03:41):
Could you tell me if Daryl was more of an indoor
guy or an outdoor guy?
Explain to me why.
Dawn Ward (03:46):
Darrell was definitely an outdoor person.
He was always outside.
He would play football, he wasplaying basketball, he was
playing baseball, he was justrunning around riding bikes with
his friends, just always doingthings like that.
He never really was one to sitin the house and sit on his butt
(04:09):
.
He, you know, he said there's aworld out there, go outside and
enjoy it.
That's what God put it here for.
So that's what he did.
Joseph Cramer (04:18):
What is your fondest memory of Daryl?
Dawn Ward (04:21):
That would have to be .
After I started my period.
I was 11 years old.
Mom had told him and I think hehad just come in from work when
he worked at Popeyes on RainbowDrive.
He was standing in the kitchenand fixing him something to eat
and I had come in there to getsomething to drink.
He started talking to me aboutmy period and we talked about
(04:44):
everything under the sun, youknow, and I remember at that
time when he was talking to me,I wish he would hush.
I wanted to go to sleep becauseit was like 2 o'clock in the
morning, but he kept talking andwe talked until I think it was
4 in the morning, just standingthere in that kitchen.
And you know, like I said atthe time, that drove me nuts.
(05:05):
But now that is one of the bestmemories I've got, because that
was Darryl.
If he seen you, he would takethe time out to sit down and
talk with you about what wasgoing on with you.
And I took that time with himand I didn't even get to go to
school the next day.
Mom, let me stay out of schoolbecause Darryl was keeping me up
talking.
So that's one of the bestmemories that I have.
Joseph Cramer (05:29):
I see from his photos that he was in the sports
.
Could you tell me who hisfavorite sports team was?
Dawn Ward (05:34):
Okay, yeah, Darryl had a favorite sport.
He loved football and he was anAlabama fan and he liked the
Raiders, and as for baseball, itwas the Atlanta Braves and,
honestly, I can't remember whohis favorite players were, but
those were his favorite teams.
Joseph Cramer (05:54):
You remember when he started working for Popeye's
Chicken?
Dawn Ward (05:57):
I couldn't tell you the year, but he was 16 years
old.
It was his first job and hestarted working at Popeye on.
It was Rainbow Drive and yeah,we stopped by there all the time
.
We'd go in there and Darrylwould give me some chicken and
biscuits.
Mom would sit there, mom wouldcome by there all the time.
(06:18):
And I know one Easter mother'safter he done become manager I
think it was shift manager atthe time, I can't remember, but
mom had made easter baskets andshe he wasn't living at home by
this time and mom had went upthere to give him his easter
basket and they started ragginghim about it there in popeyes
(06:39):
and he jumped their butts toleave him alone.
But that was his mama, so hewas really protective of mama.
But yeah, we stopped by thereall the time.
I mean all the time dan did, Idid dad, mom, me and my
boyfriend.
We would go in there and sitdown and see him.
You need to get busy and ofcourse, you have to run off and
take care of customers and wouldyou say he excelled at his work
(07:01):
?
Yeah, he did.
He did very well at his job.
He put 100% in whatever he didand he excelled.
He put 100% in whatever he didin life and he did very well at
it.
Joseph Cramer (07:17):
As a family.
Did you guys ever go out toPopeye's to eat together?
Dawn Ward (07:20):
No, as a whole family we didn't, because mom and dad
divorced when I was 12 years oldand so me and mother would go
up there and have dinner,sometimes regularly, with Daryl.
When we lived in Rainbow Citywe lived over at Columbia Square
, so we would go over there afew times and we'd sit down and
(07:41):
eat with him.
And now my mother at this timedid not like chicken, but she
would go in there and she wouldsit down and Daryl would fix her
a few things that he knew sheliked, so his mama had something
good to eat and we would sitdown and talk to him.
Joseph Cramer (07:58):
Can you tell me about the purchase of his first
vehicle?
Dawn Ward (08:01):
He was dating a girl named Meeza at the time and
she's the one who found it andthey went and got it together.
And I remember the night beforehe went and got it he literally
could not sleep.
He was so anxious.
He was ready to go buy thatJeep.
That was his baby.
After he bought it, thatdefinitely was his baby.
(08:22):
He was so proud of that Jeep.
Joseph Cramer (08:24):
Dale decided to get married at some point.
Could you tell me about hisproposal, his wedding and his
emotions leading up to that?
Dawn Ward (08:31):
Oh yeah, I remember when he got married we had a
little grill that mother wouldgrill on and I remember he come
and got the grill and I don'tremember the exact way he
proposed, but I remember hecooked some steak dinner for me
(08:56):
and then he proposed to her.
They got married at thecourthouse.
They didn't want to do anythingreal big.
This was in 92.
Let's see, I was there, mom wasthere.
I think I think I was there.
I think I was there.
I think I was, I was there.
(09:16):
I can't remember if anyone elsewas.
To be honest with you, but itwas a short, quick, sweet
ceremony at the courthouse.
Oh, and as for his emotions,yeah, he was nervous about
proposing.
He sat down and talked to meabout it.
He was excited, but he wasreally nervous.
He was afraid she was going tosay no.
(09:37):
I kept asking why.
He couldn't ever give me areason why.
But he was very happy when himand I got married.
He was really happy.
Joseph Cramer (09:47):
You remember when he and his wife found out that
they were expecting a child?
Dawn Ward (09:51):
I was pregnant with Jason when they got married.
He was very excited and nervousabout becoming a father.
He was very excited and nervousabout becoming a father.
He was always afraid he wasn'tgoing to be a good dad.
I don't know why, you know, andI don't know why he thought
(10:20):
that.
But now you know, after Ibecome a mom myself, you know I
get that nervousness when it'syour child.
But Daryl was great.
He was like any typical man.
He would pick on her and dothings like that, but overall
Daryl was great with her.
He was really great and then hewas a good dad.
Daryl was such a good dad.
Joseph Cramer (10:36):
As a younger sibling, I know what it feels
like when an older brother orsister moves out of the home.
How did it feel to you whenDarrell moved out?
Dawn Ward (10:42):
I was brokenhearted, to be honest with you.
You know he was my go-to.
He was the one that you knowwas always there for whatever I
needed, no matter how silly itwas the little talks and
sneaking cookies from his room,where he'd keep cookies at, I'd
(11:05):
go in there and I'd get somecookies.
He would hide them so mybrother wouldn't get into them
because he'd have a snack everynow and then I'd go in his room
and get cookies.
I was kind of brokenhearted.
Mom explained it was time Darylwas growing up and it was time
for him to venture out on hisown.
She said eventually you'll doit one day.
(11:26):
I knew I would, but I just Imissed my brother.
I wanted him back home.
Joseph Cramer (11:33):
Do you remember his feelings or emotions when he
reached the goal of storemanager at Popeyes?
Dawn Ward (11:37):
Honestly, I think his emotions was when he took the
store in East Gadsden.
That's the one he becamemanager on.
He was excited about the moneythat he would be able to provide
and the things he would be ableto do for his family because he
would be making more money atthat store, because it did more
business than the one in RainbowCity, if I'm remembering that
(12:00):
correctly.
Joseph Cramer (12:02):
Darryl was originally working at Rainbow
City, but he transferred toGadsden.
Could you tell me if he was astore manager while he was at
the Rainbow City store or if hewas a manager in training before
he swapped over?
Dawn Ward (12:13):
I don't remember how long he was a store manager over
at the one in Rainbow City butthe one in Gadsden.
Sadly, he didn't even make it aweek.
He had just become storemanager.
I think he'd been there fivedays when everything happened at
Popeye's.
Joseph Cramer (12:31):
On the day of the crime?
Do you remember where you wereand how you found out?
Dawn Ward (12:35):
That day is seared in my brain.
I will never forget that day.
It was raining and I went outon a date with my boyfriend and
I was actually supposed to havebeen home at a certain time and
I called Mom and I told her thatI was going to be late.
And we rode by and Matt askedme if I wanted to stop and see
(12:57):
Daryl, and I said no.
And Matt asked me if I wantedto stop and see Daryl, and I
said no.
Now, oddly, I've thought aboutthis probably every day right
after it happened and almostevery day since.
He asked me to stop by at theexact same time that the, the
robbery was taking place.
I'll never forget that.
But, but you know, I said nope,I'm late, mom's going to be mad
(13:20):
, I need to get home.
So, and I got home, like atprobably about 12, 20.
No, I got home about yeah,about it was about 12, 20, 12,
30 when I got home that night.
Yeah, I'll never forget thatday.
(13:41):
I remember getting up and goingto school.
They were giving a.
We had to give essays.
A friend of mine had given anessay on actually capital
punishment of all things, and hethought that you know people of
capital.
You know that committed capitalpunishment that committed that
(14:02):
crime.
Families should be able to dowhat they wanted in return.
And everybody's arguing thereand I agreed with the guy and
for some reason that just stuckout in my mind, I guess because
of the irony of what happened.
Come home and it was rainingand me and Matt were supposed to
go out, and we're supposed togo out and do something, but we
(14:23):
didn't.
We went and had Chinese andthen went back to his house and
watch movies and then come home.
Joseph Cramer (14:31):
Yeah, I'll never forget that day, ever and did
you come to the scene of thecrime or watch it on television?
Dawn Ward (14:38):
No, I was at home.
Lauren called, that was mystepdad, and he told his dad who
I called Pawpaw, he talked tohim and then when they hung up,
he was supposed Pop was supposedto tell me and he didn't.
And he just said you know,there was a robbery, there was
(14:59):
two guys.
That was all he said.
And I went back to bed and thenLauren come busted in my room.
He never done that.
I knew something was wrong.
But he come busted in the room.
He said Don, you got to get up.
So I knew something was wrong.
I didn't question him.
I got up and I walked down thehall Bear with me and actually
(15:30):
how my?
We started to find out thatsomething was wrong.
After Matt dropped me off.
He got back home and he calledand he says Don, is Daryl okay?
And I was like, what do youmean?
Is Daryl okay?
He said when I rode by Popeye's.
He said the ambulance, the firetrucks, the paddy wagon,
everything is over there.
Something is wrong.
I said, hang on, let me go tellMom.
So I go tell Mother.
(15:52):
Mother was working for Guest andTelephone Answering Service at
the time and they had securityservices there so they were
always listening to CB.
You know the CB radios andthings like that.
So she called and she talked tothe lady there and she said,
yeah, something happened.
But they already knew somethinghad happened to Daryl because
they had heard it over thescanner, but they didn't tell
mom.
And mom and my stepdad and Danall got up and went down there
(16:16):
and mother standing there andthe police chief comes up and he
starts to tell mom.
He said there's no either wayto tell you this.
And mama looks at him and saysyou mean to tell me my son's
dead?
And he just said yes, ma'am, Iam.
And there was a picture thatwas snapped in the gadsden times
(16:37):
and you can see my uncle ron.
He was a fireman at the time.
He's standing there and mystepdad is standing there and
then my mother is snuggled, gother head snuggled in between
them and that was snapped rightafter she found out.
Joseph Cramer (16:53):
What were your feelings when Parada and Melson
were captured?
Dawn Ward (16:57):
I was relieved.
I was relieved and shocked thatthey got him so quick.
We were lucky Me and mom'stalked about this so many times.
They got him really quick.
You know, if it wasn't forBrian giving the details like he
(17:18):
did, I don't know if they wouldhave been able to catch him as
fast as they did.
But I was happy that they wereoff the street, that they
wouldn't go down to do this toanyone else's families, because
(17:39):
four families lost loved ones.
And then you got Brian, who washurt extremely bad.
He got shot four times and hewas left for dead and he has
suffered because of it.
So I was very happy that theywere gone.
Joseph Cramer (17:55):
And two years later, what were your feelings
when they were convicted?
Dawn Ward (17:59):
I was actually very happy with the conviction of
Meltzen getting the deathsentence and Perretta getting
life without parole.
I was very happy.
It was relief.
My brother and Tamika andNathaniel and Brian all had
(18:23):
their justice.
We got to see our justice.
We got to see the justice.
It took forever.
That's the only thing thatsucks with the justice system it
takes forever, but it finallyhappened and we were happy.
I was happy with it.
(18:45):
Yeah, I was very happy with it,very happy did you attend any
of the trials?
no, I didn't.
I was married at the time andliving in Birmingham when the
trial started and I couldn't go.
Mom went and she was there fora few days and they started
(19:05):
showing, you know, the crimepictures and she seen a picture
of Darryl.
She couldn't go back after that, she was just devastated.
She said that was somethingthat she couldn't see no more.
So she kept up with it.
You know, through the news andthrough Everyone like that, and
I didn't go.
Like I said, I was married andI wasn't even living around here
(19:28):
at the time.
I was in Birmingham but I wentto the arraignment.
That's the only one I went to.
Joseph Cramer (19:34):
How did you feel about the death of Robert Bryant
Nelson being carried out anddid you attend?
Dawn Ward (19:40):
I was happy with it.
It gave me closure with it.
It gave me closure that daywhen June 2017, I'm trying to
remember, I get dates messed upbut when he finally got his
(20:00):
death sentence, I sat there thatnight, you know, and I had the
option to go, me and mom and Dan, Jesse and all of us.
We decided not to go and thenalabamacom reported that I was
there and I had to go and get ahold of them and get that fix.
Let them know that I was notthere.
(20:22):
After it was over and I got theword that Meltzen was gone, I
was standing in the kitchen withmy husband and two kids and I
had a good relief cry and theysat there and held me.
It was all years of sadness andfrustration and being pissed
(20:43):
off and everything just come outin that cry.
I was relieved it was over.
I was relieved that my motherwas still alive to be able to
see the man that killed her soncome to justice.
Fortunately, my dad didn't makeit.
He passed away before ithappened.
But, yeah, I was relieved.
(21:06):
It was like a huge weight waslifted off my shoulders.
Joseph Cramer (21:11):
And do you feel like Tumoke Parada, not being
the shooter but being the insideman with all the knowledge and
intent, should have received aheavier sentence?
Dawn Ward (21:21):
I've thought about that over the years.
I really have no-transcript seea light of day to be able to
(21:48):
hurt another family member.
No families deserve to gothrough what we went through, so
I'm happy.
Joseph Cramer (21:57):
If you could say anything to Pareto right now,
what would those words be?
Dawn Ward (22:02):
Because of your actions.
You took Daryl away from hisson and wife, his sister and his
brother and his parents.
You took Tamika away from herfamily.
You took Nathaniel away fromhis and you gave Brian ungodly
(22:25):
nightmares and destroyed part ofhis life that he'll never be
able to regain.
Honestly, I don't even know if Iwould say anything to him.
You can scratch all that.
I don't want to see him.
I don't want to talk to him.
(22:45):
Scratch all that.
I don't want to see him.
I don't want to talk to him.
Don't want nothing to do aboutit.
I just it's been so hard.
You know, next year will be 30years since this happened, and
it's's just.
It was so hard for so long.
(23:07):
So, yeah, no, I don't want tosay anything to him because I
can't say exactly what I want tosay.
I can't get the words to comeout of my mouth.
Be honest with you.
It's a lot of anger, a lot ofsadness, a lot of distress.
He caused ungodly trauma theonly one way to put it to so
(23:36):
many people's lives forabsolutely nothing, because they
were bored.
So he don't deserve to hear anywords from me or hear my mouth
spoken on him.
I hope he rots in hell.
Joseph Cramer (23:56):
Did you ever revisit Popeye's on Megan
Boulevard, either to eat thereor gain your own perspective of
things?
Dawn Ward (24:03):
Actually, yeah, I did .
I did several things.
One thing I did is after ithappened, it was maybe two or
three days.
Two days later I went up thereand I seen Bryant.
I talked to him and then abouta month later I went to Popeye's
because I felt just like I hadto see it for my own eyes.
You know there were severalthings I went through just to
(24:24):
kind of close it out, you know,to get you know, help me heal
several things I had wentthrough just kind of close it
out, you know, to get you know,help me heal.
I've seen the cooler, I've seenthe inside and then what you
could see, because there wassome boxes in the way.
And then I went and seen thethe backside and talked to the
manager for a little bit and sheknew Daryl and we talked about
that and I can't even rememberthat, that conversation.
(24:46):
But as for eating at Popeye's,I've not been able to go back.
I tried one time and I had abad experience with the staff
and it was.
It was a horrible experienceand I didn't want to hold that
against them for my reasons fornot going back.
But but I just I can't eatPopeye's chicken Now other
(25:08):
people in my family, my brother,he can eat it and don't have a
problem.
You know, so can other, youknow family members, but for me
personally I just can't.
It just brings back too manymemories.
Joseph Cramer (25:21):
For persons and families who have endured the
pain that you and yours have andwill in the future.
What words of advice could yougive them to begin healing or
making it through the days thatare not easy to get through?
Dawn Ward (25:33):
Grief is hard, especially when you lose
somebody the way we lost Daryl.
The best advice I can giveeverybody is to take it one day
at a time.
It does get better, but itnever really gets easier.
And on those really really harddays, make sure you pray.
(25:53):
Pray to God and ask him to helptake it away, because that's
what's worked for me.
Joseph Cramer (26:00):
And I have one last question.
Paint a picture of how muchdifferent you think life would
be if this event never unfolded.
Imagine Darryl came home to hiswife and son that night and
none of this ever happened.
What do you think Darryl wouldbe doing right now?
Do you think you and yourmother and brother may be on a
different path in life, or doyou think you would be exactly
where you are now?
Dawn Ward (26:22):
I think things would be a lot different because my
family was a lot closer whenDaryl was alive.
We had family functions and didthings like that and then,
after Daryl died, we had thefamily functions and things, but
it just wasn't the same.
There was a big piece of ourheart missing.
(26:42):
Daryl really was the glue toour family and honestly I think
if he was still alive Darylwould be thriving in his life.
You know he would be so proudof his son.
Jc has excelled in many, manyways.
(27:03):
I don't think mom would havesunk into the deep depression
that she did, nor Dan or me.
It affected us all pretty,pretty bad.
And my dad he actually wassober when Daryl died and dad
went back to drinking after that.
So yeah, I think my familydynamics would still be really
(27:26):
close if Darryl was still alive.
You know he never got.
He didn't get to meet my kids.
You know I become a mother, youknow, two months before my 20th
birthday with my daughter andthen I had my son five years
later.
He missed out on all that.
He missed out on Dan's kidsbeing born later.
(27:51):
He missed out on all that.
He missed out on Dan's kidsbeing born he's.
And I think.
I think if Daryl was alive Iwould probably be able to be
happier in my life, because apart of me I got to be honest
with you a part of me is missing.
I've not really told peoplethat, but part of me died that
day that Daryl died.
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