Daniel Hunter

Dayna, Tyler, Matthew, and Michael,

I am so terribly sorry for your profound loss. I was (am) in disbelief when I read this.

I am so grateful to Dan who took me under his wings when I was a young exchange student from Germany. He introduced me to 2 legendary soccer teams. He always made sure I felt included, picked me up for games when I didn’t have a car.

Later in life as I settled in Winnipeg he helped me in finding my first job, connecting me with his network and always with a big smile on his face.

In 2006 we had the chance to enjoy some of the World Cup which took place in Germany. We travelled to several cities together and I finally had the opportunity to give back my time and interest in showing Dan some of the interesting places (although it was only a fraction of the time he invested in me).

Dan, I am so grateful we met and bonded over our mutual passion for soccer. Keep watching over your loved ones and still guide them even when you are not here anymore by way of physical presence.

Miss you Dan!!
Markus Erkelenz

Dayna, Tyler, Matthew, and Michael,

I am so terribly sorry for your profound loss. I was (am) in disbelief when I read this.

I am so grateful to Dan who took me under his wings when I was a young exchange student from Germany. He introduced me to 2 legendary soccer teams. He always made sure I felt included, picked me up for games when I didn’t have a car.

Later in life as I settled in Winnipeg he helped me in finding my first job, connecting me with his network and always with a big smile on his face.

In 2006 we had the chance to enjoy some of the World Cup which took place in Germany. We travelled to several cities together and I finally had the opportunity to give back my time and interest in showing Dan some of the interesting places (although it was only a fraction of the time he invested in me).

Dan, I am so grateful we met and bonded over our mutual passion for soccer. Keep watching over your loved ones and still guide them even when you are not here anymore by way of physical presence.

Miss you Dan!!
Markus Erkelenz

To my Big Brother -
Since birth, you have been my protector; my anchor; my North Star. No matter what was going on in my life, I knew I was loved.

When Dan loved you, he loved you fiercely. He let you know what he thought, good or bad, and he was often right, even if you didn't want to admit it.

His moral compass was strong. If you pissed him off, you certainly knew it! While he was quick to anger, he was just as quick to let it go.

When I needed some life advice, it was Dan I turned to. He was and always will be the one person I tried to emulate. He taught me to keep putting one foot in front of the other - he said even if you didn't know where you were headed, you would end up in a better place than when you started.

Dan was one of the smartest people in a room, and he knew it! But he never made you feel small or unimportant. He could talk to any person and make them feel like they were interesting.

Man, could he debate! We had many heated discussions throughout the years. He had a way of making me broaden my thoughts and become curious about so many subjects.

Most importantly, he was a family man. He juggled his professional and personal life like no one else. Dan always made time for his family and friends. He had a unique way of making each one of us feel like the most important person to him.

I have not been able to accept that you are gone. There is a big hole in my heart. I feel untethered now. That deep connection since birth has been severed, and I am floating with no one to call my home. I have never felt so alone. 😕

He certainly was a force unto himself, and impacted an incredible amount of people in a positive way. The world has lost an extremely special soul. 💔

My Big Brother. I love and miss you. I know you are watching over your beautiful wife and sons.

I am so lucky to have had you in my life. I just wish it could have been longer. But I know I will see you on the other side. 🪶

Dan loved to play soccer, but more importantly he enjoyed and fostered the camaraderie of the team. Dan was instrumental in bringing us together, not just as a team on the field, but as friends off the field. The players of Colo Colo and the All Blacks will always remember Dan for the fun, the shenanigans, and the adventures that happened both on and off the pitch. He will always be our Disco.

I'm very saddened by this news. Dan was way too young. Sincere condolences to the entire family.
I grew up with Dan as best friends during childhood and hold many fond memories.

I am so saddened by this news. I went to university with Dan and met him as a College pro painting franchisee in Winnipeg. Dan was one of the few Entrepreneurs that I’ve met over the years that admired his compassion for doing the right thing by his employees and customers. My condolences to you, Dayna and your boys for your loss. Dan was far too young to be gone so soon.

I know you let me call you Danny although you much rather I would call you Dan. But I still remember being 12 years old and the beautiful baby being put in my arms. Kitty was so beautiful. And even as you got older you were the caregiver, helper, the loving older brother. I loved being your Aunt Carol. The world has lost a loving soul.

Words, explanation or reason can never express the loss. Daniel M. You were, are certainly one of a kind.

Just trying to read through the notes here and the tears just won't stop. It is a testament to the truly amazing man you were and the many lives you touched.

From the time you were a little boy you filled everyone's heart with joy. There was just something about you, everyone knew it.

The many gifts you gave to so many, the love and understanding you had life - well you learned in the truest of sense and experience.

My nephew, my inherited son, my little Man. Chop Suey kung fu Dan, and No I did not pull you by the ear! Your little five year old rascal always expressing what he wanted and how. No one could ever stop you, and look what you accomplished!

No matter how much you succeeded I know from the many conversations and time we share together that biggest success was your family.

When you met Dayna there was no question she was your lady and you never questioned it and never looked back because you two found true love.

Then you had those amazing Boyz who you would give everything for, and man do you love them.

I am blessed and grateful to have had you in my life. You showed me many things kid, we had many debates and many heartfelt discussions and with every moment you taught me.

You once asked what your purpose was, love. That's what it was. You once asked me what did you contribute, love. That's what you contributed. You once asked me what have you truly accomplished. Everything. Everything Dan. You accomplish more than most in life...

Afterall look in the eyes of your son's and wife, their love shines through in ever blink. Look at the hearts of your Auntie and the love they feel for you and the tears in your sister's eyes, each one a reflection sparkling in memories. Those are gifts, Dan. Pieces of yourself that you have left behind in everyone you knew.

We love you and this world will never be the same without you.

Ps. Give your mom a Happy Birthday hug from me as I know you were the greatest gift she could ever received ...

Missing you every moment for ever and Always

Dan was an amazing cousin. Gen and I will miss him deeply…
As I sat here reading his obituary for the first time, a round of chickadees were suddenly everywhere in the trees—it was beautiful.
To Dayna, Tyler, Matthew and Michael…
I am so sincerely sorry. You had a wonderful father, he deeply loved you. I am so sorry for your loss.
I wish I could take away the pain.

This broke my heart. Dan was such a decent guy. He was one person, when I'd meet him, it felt like we were just picking up a conversation from when we last met. He was such a natural with people and treated everyone as he would want to be treated. I loved him a lot and will miss him dearly.

My best recent memory is a road trip Dan and I took with Shauna, Dorothy and Karen, and the two of sat in the back of the van listening to Dorothy and Karen bicker like sisters; we told jokes and laughed for hours. One of the few people who really understood my sense of humour: Dave, he said, you always push it so close to the line but you never seem to go over it... but man you're close to it. It was one of the best things anyone has said to me. And while that seems like it's about me, I just mean it as an example of how good he was at reading people.

And condolences to Dayna and the boys. You've lost one of the greatest guys but I know you know that.

There are some people who come into our lives and, in ways we don’t always understand at the time, leave an imprint that never really fades. Dan was one of those people.

He was a no-bullshit kind of guy—one of the smartest and most eloquent people I’ve ever known. A man who could debate the existence of God with the Pope and probably leave you questioning what you believed before you walked away.

If you were lucky enough to become part of Dan’s life, you quickly discovered what a kind and loving soul he was. And one of the things I loved most about him was that it never mattered whether you were his wife, his sister, his children, or his friends. If you were in, you were truly in. We were all equal to Dan. And if one of us stepped out of line with another, Dan would let us know—in his own very special Dan way.

I feel incredibly fortunate to have been part of that love.

Throughout our lives, we meet thousands of people. Some pass through briefly, some stay for a while, and a rare few become part of who we are. It makes me wonder why certain people find their way into our lives and why their presence can mean so much.

I believe now that people come into our lives for a reason. Some give us comfort when we need it most. Some give us love. Some watch over us and protect us. And some guide us with their wisdom, leaving lessons that stay with us long after they are gone.

But perhaps, in the end, it is all love—just in different forms.

Every laugh and every tear, every hope and every fear becomes part of the story we are writing together. Because there is no story without the people who touch our lives, and Dan will forever be part of mine.

So thank you, Dan, for giving me what I needed, for the love, the laughter, the wisdom, and for simply being part of my story.

You may not have made it to the end of my story, but I’ll always have your page marked.

Because you were special.

And you always will be. ❤️

So hard to believe that you’re gone! But you’ll never be forgotten! May you rest in peace, my friend! 🥲

We had a lot of fun in our earlier years . I’ll always remember the time we collected about 50 political signs of all the parties and put them in Dave’s front yard late one night. I always said that Dan could sell you a rock. 😉 Rest in peace my friend. My deepest sympathies to Dayna and her family. Rob

Dan was one of my close friends and I always enjoyed his company. We never had a bad time together or an argument, not one. I had the best times on our friend trips to California, Europe and Hawaii. I will always miss him, and our time together at events such as the Whitecaps games, and concerts. Dan was full of life, and always full of great conversation. His passing leaves a huge hole in my life and I’ll miss him dearly. Dan was a family man first and foremost and always talked fondly about Dayna and the boys. It was always very clear how much he loved them. They were his life. I know Tyler, Matthew and Michael will make his soul proud as time moves on. Love you Dan and we will meet again some day somewhere.

Dan was the sweetest man and I was so lucky to be able to know and spend time with him, whether he was watching a soccer game on the TV or debating me on breeds of dogs, he was always so happy to see me and interested in everything I had to say. Seeing the love he had for his wife Dayna warmed my heart, even when he would bug her or make her mad at times you could always see how much he cared and loved her with the way he looked at her and joy his presence gave her when he was around. He raised 3 amazing sons and 1 I get to call the love of my life. He raised all 3 boys with respect and was an amazing role model not only in business but in life whether it was advice on how to get through the day, or how to be a good man to your significant other or debating him on something he believed in. You could really see he loved being a father. Dan was a fighter and one of the most resilient people I know, with everything he has gone through he still was such a light in every room he was in. Thank you for always being so kind and welcoming to me and making me feel like your family was my own. You will forever be missed and be in my heart. Every-time I smell lavender, or see a hummingbird or even watch a soccer game it will always remind me of you.I love you and your entire family and thank you for gifting me with your amazing son that I cannot wait to spent my life with❤️ Rest in paradise you beautiful angel and i’m so excited to see in another life.

I love you so much, dad. Thank you for the best 22 years of my life. You taught me so much and I’m forever grateful for you with everything you’ve done. You are the best father ever I will make you proud I promise. Thank you for showing me that life is worth living, and even if it gets hard, you can still power through. I hope you’re proud of me. ❤️