Darryl was born in Trinidad and enjoyed a truly extraordinary career as an editor, reporter, and broadcaster spanning more than 50 years in Trinidad and Canada. Beginning as a correspondent in Trinidad, he moved to Canada to pursue wider horizons in Toronto, where, as he put it, there were “more doors to knock on.” In Canada he furthered his studies and worked with The Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, and several Toronto-based Caribbean community newspapers. His incisive reporting and editorial excellence earned him deep respect and made him a trusted presence around visiting dignitaries and politicians. Above all, Darryl championed his heritage with unwavering pride, serving the Caribbean community with tireless generosity and heart. He personally enjoyed so much of the culture, from coconut water to calypso.
An irresistible storyteller, he brought the past vividly to life—especially his childhood with his grandmother and grandfather, the Chief Overseer at the Craignish Sugar Estate in Trinidad. He adored his grandmother, and his adventures with his uncles, Neville and Henry, became rich material for the tales he told so well. Even in his eighties, he could take a stroll down memory lane with remarkable clarity, shaping early life in Trinidad into stories full of warmth, wit, and insight. His sister Suzanne remembers how he would rescue her from frustrating essay assignments, offering not answers, but a brilliant starting point that made the work come alive.
He loved writing short stories, many drawn from life in Trinidad. He lived by a generous belief: everyone has a story to tell, and in listening, we learn. He and his mother shared an extraordinary bond. He was born when she was very young, and she delighted in welcoming him home to hear everything he had learned; this was his earliest training as a storyteller. When he left for Canada, they wrote faithfully to each other and she kept him close with news of family, politics, and her thoughtful views of the world; their letters shown their lasting thread of love and intellect across the distance.
Later in life, he met his brothers, Laurence and Ronan, every Sunday, and he always arrived with a bit of fun, often a joke. During COVID, when coffee shops were closed, he and his brothers would sit together in their car with breakfast and coffee, and he would bring a short story to read aloud. He turned those weekly moments into something they looked forward to. He was also influenced by these reunions to reconnect with God and his spirituality through a deeply personal journey. He will be remembered with admiration, great respect and love by his brothers Edward, Laurence and Ronan and his sisters Isadora, Charmaine and Suzanne. Rest in peace dear brother, you will live on forever in our hearts.
The funeral service will be held on Tuesday April 7, 2026, at 11:00 am, at St. Francis Xavier Church, 5650 Mavis Road, Mississauga.