January 9th, 2011 by Conor

It’s 4:02 AM. Since my last post, the night has gotten a little bit more action. I can’t take my eyes off the ICP (intracranial pressure) number. If there’s a lot going on, x-rays, noise, or anything of the sort you see the number go up. With the lights dimmed and the nurses talking in low voices the number goes down. I watch over it like a hawk. I like the mellowness of the night. Not too much conversation, less people, and a darker room. It’s calm. Keep sending those positive thoughts his way. Personally, I can’t even imagine having a website dedicated to myself and reading all of these amazing stories one day.

January 9th, 2011 by Conor

It’s 2:16 AM. Yesterday was a full day for Danny and I. We spent about 17 1/2 hours together minus the tea breaks and the nurse shift changeovers. Brandi is our nurse tonight. She just did some of the tests and got Danny to lift his left and right arm as well as move his feet-the most movement she had seen in two days. He was feeling uncomfortable and Brandi was able to communicate with him enough to figure out that it was his wedgie. Aside from the wedgie, things are going well. It’s been a mellow night. His temperature has been more naturally regulated thus far and he is on less paralytics and doing fine with that.

Elizabeth Barbiero….thanks for the good laugh. I agree, the Potterman has amazing spawn.

January 8th, 2011 by Conor

It was Thanksgiving, 2005? Time has a funny way of congealing once you hit your 30s, but I’m pretty sure it was the Fall after I’d given birth to my first child since we were all really drunk, and you’re not really supposed to be really drunk while you’re pregnant. So my mom was dating this new guy who we’d affectionately nicknamed ‘Potterman’, which if you know anything about Danny’s father is pretty self-explanatory. This was the first of what was to be quite a few epic mashups of the Toumarkine and Barbiero clans, and as a testament to all involved, despite the potential for awkward “yeah, so your Dad is boinking my mom, nice to meet you” introductions, it was – in a word…really, the best word – epic. We (my brother and I) liked Potterman well enough: He was arty without being farty, hip without being too hippie (preferred hairstyle notwithstanding). But as some – maybe most – of you might have discovered by now, it’s a sad truth that sometimes the coolest parents have the lamest kids. So my brother and I were psyched that we were going to meet the spawn of Potterman, but there was a bit of understandable trepidation. I should say here that our family affairs (and by ‘affairs’ here I mean to say holiday celebrations, though it’s probably true of everyday interactions as well) have enjoyed a long and fruitful history of falling into the ‘epic’ category. Dinner conversation (even without the booze) typically covers any given persons’ sexual history, proclivities (in and/or out of bed), food preferences, personal hygiene… though I’d like to think we’re smarter than the average bear, we’re not really ones for academic or ‘intellectual’ (in the academic sense of the word) discussion, though after a few nips we do sometimes get pretty philosophical about this crazy life…not to digress too much. Anyway, we’d heard a bit about Conor and Danny (ANOTHER Danny – our father is Daniel, our other brother is Daniel, I’m now engaged to a Daniel…it was a sign, for sure) and were hopeful that they weren’t going to be lame. Now, I could go into great detail about the meet & greet, but lest this note become a novella suffice it to say that both Conor and Danny turned out to be two of the LEAST lame guys I know. Which brings me to the Danny story I’d like to share. We’d met, we great, the meal was over, we’d all stuffed ourselves and drank like fishes, and had sat down post-dessert to play cards. The ‘grownups’ had gone to bed and we decided that a game of Asshole would nicely complement the PBR or whatever made-for-pounding crap beer we were drinking. You all know the game – officers, rules, yadda. But this game had the intensity of a Yankees-Sox playoff…after all, even though we’d all decided that the ‘other kids’ were cool, we’d never partied together which as you all know is the true test of putting one’s money where one’s mouth is. Lots of people are really cool but in grim turns of fate morph into waste-oid loser pussy d-bags when put to the Asshole test. Like, lots of people might get pissed that they fucked up when the rule was you had to eat a nasty-ass hair-covered dog biscuit. Lots of people might say, fuck you man, I just fucking met you and I’m not eating that nasty shit and try to play the weaseling out as some sort of principle-of-the-thing BS.

Let me say right here and now that Danny Toumarkine is not lots of people. Let me tell you: Danny Toumarkine is one fucking cool kid.

Not only did he eat it (literally – and really, that shit was nasty) – he did it with the gravity of a guy who knows that you just don’t fuck around when you get into a Thanksgiving game of Asshole. There are precious few moments in life when you laugh so hard you can’t do anything but let the insanity envelop you and ride it out till the shaking subsides. This was one of those moments – Danny, bless his drunk brave heart, fulfilled his duty like a man – and I think I can say that that moment was the beginning of a mutual admiration, respect, and friendship that has outlasted our parents’ relationship with each other.

I could go on about the crack crotchet Thanksgiving (really, it’s equally as good – probably better – in conveying why Danny is such an amazing guy), but since you never have a second chance to make a first impression, I just wanted to share with the Danny-loving world at large that my first impression of this kid was Platinum. However hairy or nasty the challenge may be right now, I KNOW he’ll eat that shit up and be ready to go for the next game.

January 8th, 2011 by Conor

When I first met Danny we were in 7th grade! We met a few time to go night skiing, he wanted to go skiing, and after putting up a fight becasue I can not snow board for the life of me, and having huge feet for a girl switched my skis and boots for Dannys board and boots! He made it down just fine while i was still stuck in the middle of the hill! Once I made it down, with some help from Danny yelling up at me, he wouldnt let me live it down he laughed at me for the rest of the night. I am pretty sure if we were to do that again today I would still be stuck, But Danny being the awesome guy that he I am willing to bet that would still come save me and laugh at me again!

To this day when Danny comes home and I see him he always greets me with a huge smile and a big hug! He truely is an amazing person and I have been so blessed and lucky to have met hom and spent time with him.

I wish Danny all the best and a very speedy recovery!
To Conor there is nothing like the love of a brother- I have two and we have been thru alot as you know!
Hang in there Danny is strong and a fighter!!!

Stay Strong Danny!

January 8th, 2011 by Conor

Keep sending the pics! The signs about Danny sent in to the site are awesome. email donations@dannyisthebomb.com or send the pictures to 603-496-6621.

January 8th, 2011 by Conor

Ian would like to encourage people to take pictures with signs that show Danny your love. I think it’s an awesome day to send pictures that you have taken just to show Danny your love. It’s not hard just take a picture with your phone even and send it to 603-496-6621 or email it to donations@dannyisthebomb.com

January 8th, 2011 by Conor

I’ve never met Danny personally, but growing up I was turned to his Sponsor Me video on Youtube. First thought, Dang this kid can ride. He INSPIRED me to get back in to competitive snowboarding and to let loose and have fun again. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one. I had the chance to see him in a competition at Northstar one year while visiting the west coast. Eyes were blown again. Guy has massive talent when he straps in. Being from the east and seeing another east coaster tearing it up on the west gave me a boost. I finally moved out to Tahoe and I have been loving it ever since. When Shreddy Times first started I was hooked. Good snowboarding and hilarious moments served up by Danny and the Crew. Seeing you guys make it to the Tahoe Adventure Film Festival was sick. Soo happy for you guys. Danny is true Inspiration, and a rad snowboarding. But you just know his personality is what makes him so successful and unique. I know WE all hope this is just a minor speed bump in what looks to be a promising future for him and the crew.

Get well soon bro, and best wishes to the Toumarkine family! Perseverance is the greatest key, something Danny deff has!

I SHREDDY 4 DANNY!

January 8th, 2011 by Conor

I can’t exactly remember the first time I met Danny but I have many funny memories with him as do most of his friends from what I have read from previous posts. I went to high school with both Conor and Danny and I made friends with Conor before I was introduced to his “little brother.” Danny was on the Kennett High Golf team with me. A lot of you might not even know that Danny was into golf, but we had some great laughs out there on the course. On the golf course is where I made my nickname for Danny. Every time Danny hit a ball off the tee and it was a good shot (which wasn’t that often lol) Johnny Baker and I would yell his name like DAAAAANNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!! So to this day, every time I see Danny I greet him with the Dannnnnnnnnneeeeeee. He had one of the funniest, yet memorable swings I have seen to this day. I can remember the first year he joined the team and coach and I were watching him hit balls and although his swing was quite unique, he hit the ball pretty good. One day at practice Danny, Johnny Baker, and myself went out to play a couple holes. We basically just made fun of each other and goofed off the whole time we played. I’m pretty sure there was one hole where the three of us teed off “Happy Gilmore” style. Coach even came out to us on the 6th hole and YELLED at us because we were having too much fun and were not taking it seriously and threatened to NEVER take us on a match again. While we were being reprimanded I couldn’t help but look at Danny and when we met eyes we both died laughing. As you all know, once Danny laughs its contagious! That’s when coach peeled off in the golf cart. Another time at practice (I even think it was Danny, Johnny and I playing together again) we were on a hole and Danny crushed his drive and hit a great second shot onto the green and had a putt for birdie. This was huge because Danny had never made a birdie before. He hit the putt and it looked good from the start and he made it!!! I have never seen someone do a dance like he did and run around like a complete idiot on the golf course. I was rolling on the ground laughing. He was so excited to make a birdie and I am so glad I was there to witness the celebration. We talked about the putt for weeks if not months. I can’t wait to remind him of his sweet birdie when I see him next.

I have had many fun times with Danny but I’m not sure there is enough room to write them all. He really is a great person and I honestly don’t think I have ever seen him in a bad mood before. Such a positive person and I am glad to say that I know him and am proud to call him my friend. Danny, I love you and I know you will get through this!

Sending good thoughts and prayers to Danny and the whole Toumarkine family.

January 8th, 2011 by Conor

I have been working at the hospital non-stop since I got back from my extended stay in NH and today is my only day off…I’m suppose to be unpacking and then packing again, as I work the next 3 nights before I leave for Costa/Nicaragua on Wednesday. But as I sit here staring at my backpack, all I can think about it y’all and the last time I used my bag, which was on Danny and I’s trip to South America. So I am going to write to dannyisthebomb.com and hopefully return to my other task at hand : )

Where do I begin??? I guess I’ll start with the already focused questions…I met Danny freshman year of high school, English class to be exact. We were placed next to each other because Mr. Ruland wanted us in alphabetical order. Danny and I naturally became friends due to this proximity and him always talking to me in his Kermit frog voice, which undeniably always made me laugh out loud in class : ) It was there that our friendship started some 11 or so years ago. I have so many great memories with Danny…it’s hard to pick one out…all the snowboarding trips we took, with and without our brothers, to Colorado, Tahoe, Utah, NH, etc…our South America trip, crazy trailer times in Tahoe/CB, hanging in San Diego, Mexico, cabrewin, hiking, and everything in-between.

As you have heard time and time again…Danny’s laugh is one of a kind…it is by far the most infectious laugh I’ve ever heard…I was sick as a dog one day in the Amazon but he still was able to make me laugh while squealing at all the cockroaches in our room and then laughing for doing so ; ) oh I can hear him now : ) My funniest memory of Danny, that comes to mind, occurred a little over a year ago. We were in this small Peruvian town and had made some friends in previous days and decided to all go fishing. This fishing excursion ended up being no small feat, but we eventually got into a locals boat and were out to sea. Danny had recently gotten into fishing with Conor and what not, so he was excited to try his hand out here. I, however, really only fish on vacation and had been trying to go fishing with Danny for quite sometime now but it had never worked out. I was sitting there with the four men in the boat watching everyones anticipation over the first catch, as we all laughed over told stories of our recent travels. After what seemed like eternity for the boys I’m sure, I caught our first fish…a little later the second…and then came the third…each one Danny getting a little more bent out of shape about….as we all know, he is quite competitive and brings himself to perfection in everything he pursues, so this naturally was a little blow to his ego. On a lighter note, I sensed this and gave out the whole oh it’s “beginners luck” speech, with some additional teasing. Then the kicker…minutes later Danny felt a tug on his line as he began to reel it in…he began wrestling a little with it, my fish were so small there was none of that, so we obviously undoubtedly thought this had to be the “big one.” As we waited anxiously for this beast to surface, we were taken by surprised when a snakelike creature appeared. I wasn’t even able to get a good glimpse before our boatman jumped over to Danny grabbed his pole and started swinging the eel over his head and hitting it on the side of the boat…consequentially creating a scene! Cole, our friend, started to move to the front of the boat at this same time Danny was trying to move back, he hit me by accident and I almost fell in…If you could have only seen this guy…what a scene!!! When the initial shock subsiding we were all in hysterics, we couldn’t help it. Every time I thought it was over, one of us would reference the spectacle and there we would go cracking up again. If only we had it on video!!!

Danny has innumerable talents as many have touched on…his creativity, ambition, dedication, diligence, perseverance, etc. I have always admired Danny for pursuing his dreams, it is something we shared and something I find to be very appealing in another individual. Although this is a very hard time for all of us, I find a lot of comfort in knowing he was pursuing his dream and doing what he loved when this unfortunate event occurred. Danny is an incredibly strong individual and It’s like i told Conor when I first heard the news, there’s no doubt in my mind he’ll pull through, he’s as stubborn as they come ; )

I find strength in these stories and love behind all that has been shared…so many people pulling for this lovely family I am so fortunate to know. I know I probably speak for many when I say that we all can’t help but feel somewhat helpless in a situation such as this, but we have seen the love and support that is backing Danny and his family and we all just need to stay positive and keep Danny in our thoughts.

To the fam…I have not stopped thinking about y’all since the moment I heard the news. You are not only amazing people in your own right but make one beautiful family. Conor, you have been such a loving and loyal sibling to Danny always giving and growing with him. I know y’all don’t see eye to eye on everything, hell we didn’t either 😉 but there was always so much love between y’all then and now, and there is no love like sibling love : ) I know he would be so grateful and impressed by all your actions and commitments thus far… Your devotion is so admirable and rare, it will never go unnoticed. Ellen, you have always been such a great mother to your boys and I’ve seen that first hand for years, but talking to you the other night and hearing the strength you exuded was beyond inspirational. Although this is definitely one of your darkest of times, I am so glad y’all are at his bedside, nurse or no nurse I truly believe that matters. I am so touched by the outpouring of support for y’all, as I am sure you are too, but it is just a testament to how wonderful y’all truly are. Ellen Shea, Mr. T, Conor, and the rest of the fam, continue to stay strong…we are all wishing Danny the speediest of recoveries. I will continue to send all my thoughts and love your way…
cuidate mucho…con mucho amor, berkeley xox

January 8th, 2011 by Conor

Danny is one of the most honest and fun people I have had the pleasure of meeting and hanging out with. On the river, chillin at the “island” in his kitchen, or running into each other outside of the 603 area, every encounter is a memorable one. A small get together of a couple friends and Danny always would turn into a night full of laughs and a great time. Everyone is aware of Danny’s talents snowboarding and really any activity that he puts his mind to. If anyone can go through a traumatic incident like this and make it out on top, Danny has the drive and determination to do so.

I am going to share a good time when Danny and Ian were driving across country and I was living in Nebraska at the time. They had planned to stop in for a couple nights to visit and break up the drive a bit, so I was stoked to see the both of them. It was great to catch up, hearing stories of their travels. After a fun night, we crashed at my place where I borrowed a futon mattress from a room mate for Ian, Danny had the couch. Half awake the next morning Ian was apparently trying to give me an apology, I had no idea what for, and didn’t really care, more sleep was needed. When I made it out to the living room shortly after, Danny was laying on the couch just pointing at the futon mattress “look what Ian did”. Clearly Ian had wet himself through the night leaving a stain that had to be 3 feet in diameter on the mattress. Danny’s presentation of the incident was priceless.

This may not be the best story to share, sense it will be in front of thousands of pairs of eyes and implicates Ian just a tad. I just wanted to share the story with you Connor, hopefully bringing some laughter to your day. I can’t imagine the position you are in now. I have an older brother that in the passed we have been very distant. We have just started in the last few months re-building a relationship. Danny is very lucky to have an older brother that will be there for him no matter what. I am sure that Danny is very aware that you are by his side and will always be there. I commend you as a brother, and wish you and your family the best to get through this.