A short life, eternal impact!
After Derek’s passing, his father, Russ, received a message on Facebook from a man Derek had met while incarcerated. The man, Jesse, shared how Derek had profoundly changed his life. One day, Jesse noticed Derek reading a book and asked him about it. Derek gave him the book, and from then on, they met weekly to discuss what they were reading. Jesse said that Derek’s philosophy and faith became his guide. After his release, Jesse practiced the values that Derek had instilled—he got married, started a business, and has been sober ever since.
This was typical Derek–he had a special way of influencing people. Several other individuals who served time with him sought out his father to share similar stories of Derek’s profound impact, an influence that inspired sobriety, healing, faith, and purpose.
Derek was magnetic. He made everyone feel included and supported. He had love for all, even the most downtrodden. Among his many close friends were Tyson Steed and Ashley Wareham, Cort and Danielle Bolen, Cache and Heather Casper, Ryan Evans, and Amy Griffith Daeschel.
Above all, Derek loved his family. Fiercely protective of his siblings, he adored his nieces, nephews, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. He shined at big family get-togethers, his favorite being a once-a-year reunion with the whole family at a cabin at Bear Lake. He talked constantly about his dreams of getting married and becoming a father.
While incarcerated, Derek wrote thousands of songs, filling notebooks with poetic reflections on his struggles with sobriety. He collaborated with his brother Kyle, who composed music while Derek wrote the lyrics. Together, they recorded and performed tracks. Derek also wrote for local Utah rap artists, some songs were released and played on the radio. He even won a local radio writing contest, earning the opportunity to broadcast his story.
Derek’s love of life was clear in his unabashed and simple enjoyment of virtually all games and sports. Badminton, tubing, softball, soccer, golf, snowboarding–whatever he tried, he threw himself into. Growing up, he played on several traveling club soccer teams, even competing in tournaments in Europe at age 12.
Toward the end of his life, Derek had climbed the ranks at Jiffy Lube and become a branch manager. He had been sober for the last two years and had made amends with his loved ones. He spent his days with family or on the ball field with his sober softball league. His death came as a devastating shock—one relapse was all it took.
During the depths of Derek’s substance use disorder, his family did all they could to help. His mother, Leslie Claiborne Denning, was a huge support. Russ also did all he could for his son, but admits he harbored anger and resentment towards those struggling with addiction. In the aftermath of his son’s death, Russ has thrown himself into the sober community, finding empathy and connection. Now he writes, “I speak to those I see on the streets, especially to the ones around my son’s age. I have gained the ability to love those that I used to hate. My empathy has grown for all caught in this trap.”
Derek’s father, Russ Claiborne, provided the information for this narrative.
June 16, 1986-November 19, 2020—Age 34
Portrait Artist: Jeremy Hebbel
Narrative Writer: Livia Cohen
