Determination, strength, resilience, passion, loyalty
Danny was a passionate and determined individual with striking baby-blue eyes and a deep love for sports, especially the Brewers, Packers, and Bucks. He could easily recall players’ names and statistics across baseball, football, and basketball. Danny also played baseball most of his life, primarily as a pitcher.
Known to be quiet and to have a stubborn streak at times, he was both hardworking and fiercely loyal—to his family, his friends, and his beloved Black Lab, Oakley.
Danny was very intelligent and loved to read. He consistently made the honor roll and won a spelling bee contest in fourth grade. Growing up, he spent much of his time with his older brother, Dale, and neighborhood friends. Summers were filled with swimming in the family pool, riding bikes until the streetlights came on, scraped knees, muddy clothes, and skateboarding down the driveway—daring each other to go faster, jump higher, or try one more trick. Inside the house, the boys played video games. Dale was very protective of Danny when they were young, and when Dale went off to school each day, Danny was always the first to greet him when he returned home on the bus, and the last to send him off until Danny was old enough to join him.
Danny enjoyed staying active, often working out and walking Oakley. While he sometimes preferred time alone, Danny also cherished special days up north at Silver Lake and family vacations to Florida, Cape Cod, and California.
As a teenager, Danny developed head and neck pain and lived with debilitating headaches. He endured countless procedures and surgeries, always hoping for relief. Over time, the ongoing pain wore on him. At times, he chose to isolate himself, not wanting to burden others with what he was experiencing. The chronic pain also brought frustration and anger, which sometimes led to struggles and misunderstandings.
Despite these challenges, Danny did the best he could with what he was living with. He worked in the trades, and showed up to work daily, he completed his schooling at Deforest and purchased his own condo, taking pride in being independent. Danny often stopped by to help with anything that needed to be done around his family’s house. He was not always able to be the happy, easygoing person he and his family wished for him to be—but when he was present and engaged during family moments, it was truly a gift. “Those times meant everything, and we hold them close,” his mother, Sharon, stated.
Life had its challenges, including struggles with substance use, yet Danny’s strength and resilience remained. On December 24, 2021, Danny took a Xanax purchased from the street; it was laced with fentanyl. That single, tragic moment ended his life.
Sharon shared: “Danny was more than his pain and more than the way he died. He was deeply loved, and his loss is felt every single day. His story is shared not only to honor him, but to remind others how dangerous and unforgiving fentanyl is—and how quickly it can steal someone you love.”
Daniel’s mother, Sharon Sopa, provided the information for this narrative.
February 8, 1987–December 24, 2021-Age 34
Portrait Artist: Shawn Faust
Narrative Writer: Barbara Francois
