By Karenlyn Barone
His whole life, Daniel Callahan was a fighter. He fought a valiant battle against cancer as an infant, and won. He fought the constraints of Downs Syndrome, and superceeded them. He fought his liver disease and was winning the fight, when last Saturday, his heart gave out. Daniel died Nov. 20, at the age of 21, leaving behind a battlefield full of worthy opponents he had beaten. He took with him a smile that could conquer the world.
His smile radiated every good thing that could ever be, said family friend Kate Miller.
Danny, of Valley Stream, was born with Downs Syndrome and at the age of two was diagnosed with leukemia, but at seven-years-old, the doctors declared him in full remission. The very next year, Danny needed surgery for a congenital heart defect, and miraculously survived that procedure. He then concentrated on life and all there was to enjoy.
A fan of the Islanders, Jets, and rap music, Danny did live life to the fullest. It was no wonder he was also a big fan of the Rocky movies and related to their stories of strength and inspiration. A good fighter knows a good fighter. Danny attended Camp Anchor and graduated from high school, making life-long friends along the way. His plans were to enter the workforce, but during a routine gall bladder operation, doctors discovered that as the result of a blood transfusion, Danny had Hepatitus-C. The disease had caused irreparable damage to his liver and he was in need of a transplant. With his health deteriorating and bills mounting, The Herald reported last week how Danny-s friends hosted a benefit for him at the St. Mary-s Council of the Knights of Columbus. With Danny-s name at the top of the donor list, and a room full of people who loved and supported him, hope abounded.
But, Danny-s heart needed to rest and he died peacefully, with his family and friends at his side.
It was the love of his family and friends that he cherished the most, said Miller, who was Danny-s godmother.
The family received friends at the Moore Funeral Home in Valley Stream.
Through tears, his mother Marie spoke of the full life her son lead, and how he had packed a lifetime of living into 21 short years.
He loved eveyone, she said. And everyone who met him loved him.
The members of the Knights of Columbus, who had shared Danny-s joy and hope the night of his fund-raiser, came to the funeral home, presented his mother with a certificate and made him an honorary knight of their council.
Danny brought us together as a coucil, in the spirit of charity, unity and fraternity, said Grand Knight Ralph Macchia. We will always remember him.
A Funeral Mass was held at Our Lady of Peace Roman Catholic Church in Lynbrook on Wednesday. Interment was at St. Charles Cemetery, Farmingdale.
On the night of the benefit, I said that if the love in the room could build a stairway to heaven, we would all be able to climb it, said his mother. Well, it was Danny who climbed it.
Danny is survived by his mother Marie, his father David. He is the loving brother of David Jr. and his wife Patricia, Theresa and her husband John, Jennifer and Lorraine; cherished grandson of Isabel Pereira; devoted uncle of John Michael and Rebecca Tymeck.
