Danny holding Brady, his youngest nephew, son of his brother Matt, with his precious little Anna by his side as usual. She always said that she knew Danny since she was one and one half years old and that he helped raise her. This is true since they spent every minute together that they could. Danny adored her as did we all. She was eleven in 2013.

Danny's first car - He bought it while working at his first job at UPS. It was a 1975 Trans Am with the Firebird on the hood. He was so proud of it. When he showed the picture to his "kids" they asked him if that was beer in the can on the hood of the car. It wasn't. More about that later!

Danny with his baby brother Luke. He finally got his little brother to play "army men" with him in the backyard sand pile. Danny watched over him when they were little and kept this picture in his book of favorite memories that we found later.

Danny painting the house while little Chelsea from next door sits on the scaffold with him... she said that there is a story behind this picture so I'll have to get her to tell me what it is.

Savannah, Anna, Lacy, Gracie, Skye and Danny at the circus. It was free to certain children in Montgomery. Danny was good at finding ways to let them have fun times that didn't cost much. These kids could make fun out of anything they did. They not only bonded with Danny but also with each other. You can just see the love in this picture. They each became a part of our family and were with us at most holidays along with so many others kids that loved him.

Lacy, Kelsey, Laken, Savannah, Gracie, Skye and Zach
Some of "Danny's Kids" gave him a birthday party when they first found out he was sick. These are only a few of the kids that were so very special to him. They all loved him so much and his wall was plastered with notes from so many of them telling him how much they loved him. He was so proud of each one of them and he made sure that they knew it. No one was allowed to post anything on Danny's "Wall of Fame" as the kids named it until it was their best. His entire wall in his hallway was posted from floor to ceiling with their work. Each was so proud when a piece of their art work was judged to be "their best" and was allowed to be posted. "Danny's Kids" were included in our "down home" gatherings. They became like part of our family and everybody loved them. The boys especially liked fishing in the pond. And so did Lacy. She caught the biggest fish!

Danny and his brother Luke on one of our annual summer vacations to Panama City Beach. They all looked forward to this trip all year and each of them saved their own money for it because there were so many fun things to do there and they tried to do it all. Besides the boys and their Mom, there were their two closest cousins, Karen and Kathy and their mom Aunt June .

Mama's little man, at fifteen months, all dressed and ready for Sunday School. He's holding his daddy's cigarette lighter which he opened and looks like he's just waiting for him to say something! I made his little suit, his first one.

Danny is taking a picture of Anna, Lacy, and Skye, the "Three Little Kittens", waiting in line for a ride at the fair. When these three were together everybody had fun. People would just stop and watch them because they were so cute and just glowed with happiness and love. Danny bought each a scrapbook in what was to be his and their last summer together. He made several copies of all pictures so they each had one for their scrapbook so they would always have their "happy times memories" to keep.

When you miss me, I'll be there in your heart - message added for "Danny's Kids" so they would always remember how much he loved them. They loved him so much too. I doubt any of them will ever forget the lessons on life and love that he taught them.

Anna, Lacy, Skye and Gracie pictured with Johnny Depp (look alike) playing "Pirates of the Caribbean" on their last trip to Panama City Beach in 2013. Danny was still taking chemo and was really sick from it and in much pain due to other complications but he was determined that they would have this last trip to remember. They had a fantastic time. This was the first time that Skye's little sister Gracie, who was only eight, had ever been with them and she was so happy to be with the big girls and she just fit right in with them. Anna at eleven looks much younger than she really is. Lacy and Skye had just turned thirteen. Danny's Mom financed the trip for them so they would have this memory of their last trip together to the beach. (Danny was only here with us for six more months.)

~ Danny ~ Coming Home ~
Oh long and dark the stairs I trod,
With stumbling feet to find my God,
Gaining a foothold bit by bit
Then slipping back and losing it.

There came a certain time when I
Loosened my hold and fell thereby,
Down to the lowest step my fall
As if I had not climbed at all.

And as I lay despairing there,
There came a footfall on the stair
And 'lo' when hope had ceased to be
My God came down the stairs to me.

Two of Danny's three "adopted kids", Zach and Kelsey by the pond at the old home place. To the left of the pond through the woods is the nature trail Danny created for the kids. It runs the length of the property. He made many interesting natural features along the way including a large circular area with a camp fire site in the middle which he told them was an old Indian campground. All the kids love to walk it when they come down to the country. The boys especially loved fishing in the pond and would spend hours down there.

Danny holding Mark with Luke beside him. This was always the best time of the day, after they had been fed, bathed, and dressed in their pajamas for bed. They looked so sweet - Just one of many precious memories...

Danny with his brothers Luke and Mark, back row, Matt and Bill, front row
***************************************************************
"Red Roses for Mama's Bouquet"
God took from his beautiful rose garden, a red rose so lovely one day,
And he sent me a son named Danny, the first rose for my precious bouquet.
My first born I so longed for and loved had fulfilled my greatest desire,
The wish to become a good mother, since childhood I'd wanted to aspire.

Then God gave me a second red rose, a son I knew from the start,
Was all a mother could wish for, another blessing I tucked in my heart.
This wonderful son named Luke, so special that I scarce could perceive,
A genius, so unique, so brilliant, with such talents it was hard to believe.

God sent me a third rose named Mark, another very precious baby son.
He was different right from the beginning, so mischievous was this one!
So precocious but oh so delightful, he was quite a handful you know.
I dared not let him out of my sight, for I never knew where he might go.

My fourth red rose was Matthew, so unique in his own special way,
So caring, so good, that I already knew, a proud mother I'd be that day.
For like his Granddaddy before him, willing to work hard I already could see;
He'd be the one to go his own way, and be what he wanted to be.

My fifth red rose was named Bill, a blessing from God without measure,
For he became my heart's delight, a son any mother would treasure.
Oh what a joy, my last rose, a final blessing from God up above.
He had saved this special red rose and sent him for us all to love.

Then God knew that He had finished, the sons He had sent here to me;
Separately, they are so different; it's the way that He planned it to be.
And He said I think they are special, each in his own individual way,
But gathered together they are perfect, the red roses for Mama's bouquet.

Patricia Brady McCain

Danny's "adopted kids", Hannah, Zach, Kelsey - This is the age they were when they first came into his life. He loved them as though they were his own kids and they loved him the same. What a beautiful relationship they had for the rest of his life. They are all grown up in the next picture that was taken at the annual Easter egg hunt in 2013 which was to be Danny's last Easter here with us.

Danny's three "adopted" kids, Hannah, Zach and Kelsey are siblings, all grown up. Danny loved these kids more than words can say. They were just tiny kids when Danny met their mother and they were together for a number of years. He was devastated when things did not work out but he and the kids still remained close throughout the years. This picture was taken on Easter of 2013 for the egg hunt at the "Old Home Place" where all the family and friends gathered. This was to be Danny's last Easter with us.

Danny, Luke, Mark and Matt ready for Sunday School. This picture was taken in front of our apartment before we moved to our house across town. The church was just a few yards to the right down the sidewalk and across the street. I love this picture because it reminds me of all the happy memories when they were still little. Bill was five years younger than Matt. He was born after we moved.

Danny was about twenty months old in this picture. It was at Christmas when he got his first tricycle.

Granddaddy was letting Danny help feed the chickens at the farm on one of our trips down home. He gave him an ear of corn and Danny was feeding them one kernel at a time! He was Daddy's and Mama's second much loved grandchild and their first grandson. He is about sixteen months old here because he was out of diapers at eighteen months. This is one of my favorite pictures of him when he was little. To me it embodies the total innocence of a little child. When he was later joined by his four younger brothers, Luke, Mark, Matt and Bill, they all loved going "down to the country." It was always their favorite place to visit.