Damian and I met at work. On its face, just being a coworker doesn't measure up to the personal stories others have shared, but I can also say that he was one of the few people there I really trusted, really felt like he got me. I looked forward to any day where I'd get to see him, talk about life and the things that brought us there. He lit up my day any time he was there.

We had been talking about finding time to hang out outside work. I even was thinking about how he and a high school friend of mine would have gotten along famously and how I wanted to introduce them. He offered to give me guitar lessons when I got my first guitar. I wish I could have had even one.

Damian was a great guy: down to earth, caring, passionate. The kind of guy to make any shitty day a bit more bearable because you knew you had someone right there with you. We may have just been coworkers, but I cried and cried when I heard. I'll think of him every time I pick up my guitar, and I'll keep doing it for him. I'm gonna miss you, dude. 

My condolences to Damian's family. I first met Damian in elementary school and we became friends through our brothers. I am grateful to have had you as a best friend in my early childhood years. I had some of the best childhood memories with you and the impact you had on me never faded. You are a sweet soul and the memories i had with you are unforgettable. This loss feels incredibly hard, and it doesn’t feel real. I wish we could have had more time together. Thank you for being a kindhearted friend to me. ❤️

Love,

 Sequoiah

When I first met Damian I was freshly in highschool. I never had any friends before him and our group. I was 14 when Damian Shawn Xander and Sierra came into my life. It was the first time I was included into a group. Together we all laughed, talked, had fun adventures into old town, and mostly held each other up in such a turbulent time in being a teen.

I remember when my little sister Sarah died Damian went to the funeral with me because I was to scared to go alone. He sat with me in the front row and accepted my process of grief without judgment. Damian made me feel brave and He made a really dark day a really positive one full of memories that I still think about today. He gave me a space to go when my world felt chaotic, he made me laugh on days that I wasn’t sure I could laugh anymore, he brought a village to me when I felt alone in the world and that’s something I will never forget ❤️

I never knew Damian as an adult but I know that his kindness and understanding was something he carried with him through out his life and I know everyone who got to know him as an adult saw that. My deepest condolences and he will be eternally missed❤️