Obituaries

In Memory of
Darius Lord Vinson
October 1, 1988 - August 19, 2015

Visitation:
Denis S. OConnor Funeral Home Wednesday 2:00-5:00 & 7:00-9:00pm August 26, 2015
Denis S. OConnor Funeral Home Wednesday 2:00-5:00 & 7:00-9:00pm August 26, 2015

Service:
Denis S. O ™Connor Funeral Home Thursday 11:00am August 27, 2015
Denis S. O Connor Funeral Home Thursday 11:00am August 27, 2015

Interment:
The Greenwood Crematory Thursday 1:30pm August 27, 2015 500 25th Street Brooklyn, NY 11232

Visitation at Denis S. OConnor Funeral Home Wednesday 2:00-5:00 & 7:00-9:00pm August 26, 2015



Service at Denis S. OConnor Funeral Home Thursday 11:00am August 27, 2015



Committal at The Greenwood Crematory Thursday 1:30pm August 27, 2015 500 25th Street Brooklyn, NY 11232



Darius Lord Vinson, the only son of Denise L. Greig and Damon L. Vinson, was born on Oct. 1, 1988 in Forest Hills, N.Y. Darius passed away on Aug. 19. From a young age, Darius showed potential for a life full of achievement and success. He attended P.S 105, where many of his teachers took notice of and praised his intellect. He then attended P.S/M.S. 43. While there he was the editor of the school newspaper. He was the focus of a full editorial in The Wave newspaper in recognition of his community service. He also received the Governor George Pataki Committee on Scholastic Achievement Award and the New York City Council Speaker’s Gifford Miller Achievement Award. Where's the story? PointsMentioned Map4 Points Mentioned He was the recipient of two New York State Assembly Citizenship awards granted by former Queens Assemblywomen Michele Titus and Audrey Pheffer. Other honors included the Rockaway Rotary Club Award and The School and Community Working Together Award. He was also the recipient of the Rosemary Marchong Memorial Scholarship and winner of the Fun District 27’s Science and Social Studies Exit Project Fair Award. During his tenure at George Westinghouse Information Technology High School, he received his Regents Diploma with Advanced Placement Honors and obtained his certification in AutoCAD Architectural Design. He was a member of the George Westinghouse Varsity Indoor/Outdoor Track Team and was involved with several civic programs: the Anti-Bullying Committee, iMentor, Quality Steering Committee, and the George Westinghouse Philanthropic Association. He was the only student to be nominated to the Westinghouse Leadership Team four years in a row. In his senior year of high school, he developed a profound love for boxing and dedicated his life to the sport. One of his greatest achievements was becoming the first amateur fighter from Irish Ropes Golden Gloves, which lead to a victory in 2006. Darius attended John Jay College of Criminal Justice and obtained two Bachelors’ degrees. He received his first Bachelor’s of Science in Police Studies in 2012 and obtained a second Bachelor’s of Arts in 2015 for Law and Society with certification in Dispute Resolution. While attending John Jay, he was a USA Certified Athlete in the John Jay Boxing Program and USA Boxing Commission. He was the recipient of the Kenneth C. Hall Jr. Memorial Foundation Scholarship Fund. He completed his peer-reviewed thesis on Institutional Discrimination in Education. He assisted with the Annual Kay Pranis Restorative Justice Special Presentation. He was accepted into the Pre-Law Institute and was a Pre-Law Boot Camp Graduate. While there, he was awarded “Best Speaker” in the debates. Darius devoted a great deal of his time as a volunteer by serving as a tutor for the John Jay writing workshops. He also volunteered at God’s Battalion Loving Care Center, where he helped with City Harvest. He was the cofounder of the Rockaway Ropes Boxing Facility, where he wrote grants to provide a safe home for at-risk youth in Rockaway. He also volunteered at the Parsons Beacon Junior High After-School Program. Most recently, he was a Peacemaker with the Red Hook Community Justice Center, where he served as a role model and mentor to at-risk youth. Darius had specific goals that he wanted to achieve and he was determined and persistent in accomplishing them: becoming a criminal defense lawyer and a professional boxer. He faced many challenges in his life, which delayed efforts to achieve his objectives. The obstacles were due, for the most part, to failures within educational and legal systems, but he never lost sight of his dreams. He was a determined man who strived to reach all of his goals regardless of his circumstances. In doing so, he touched the hearts of many people that gave him the confidence to follow his amazing journey in life. Despite his constant hard work to achieve his goals, he also took part in many leisure activities such as skateboarding, surfing, writing and swimming. Darius always loved spending time with his friends and family, whom he held very close to his heart. His charming, outgoing and friendly personality always made people smile. He had a special gift for motivating others to do the right thing and served as a role model to all. His kind heart made sure everyone around him was always happy. He consistently went out of his way to make others feel included. Most importantly he gave advice to all and always saw the best in people and pushed them to reach their full potential. Darius always wanted to keep his family together as one unit and reached above and beyond to build strong connections with them. He had a big heart and never let anyone go unrecognized. He will truly be missed in every aspect of his loved ones lives. Proceeding Darius in death are his grandfathers Cleveland Vinson and Benjamin Greig. Darius is survived by his mother Denise Greig and his father Damon L. Vinson, his girlfriend Raveenga Perera, grandmothers - Jacqueline Vinson and Lorna Greig, great-grandmothers - Mamie Curry, Clarissa Waiters, uncles- Anthony Vinson, Che Vinson and Gregory Greig, aunts - Sharon, Angela and Dawn, great-aunts- Charlene Green, Rosetta Morris, Betty Ann Fludd, Yvonne Jackson and Venita Simmons, god brother Aaron Rivera and a host of cousins, nephews and nieces, other loving family members and friends. ROCKAWAY BEACH The day in mid-August when Darius Vinson drowned had begun with a grand hope: the 26-year-old had gone hiking, intent on discovering his purpose in life. He'd left his home in Rockaway Beach on Aug. 19 with one of his best friends, Kye Weaver. Weaver, 32, had proposed the impromptu day trip to the Delaware Water Gap on the New Jersey and Pennsylvania border that morning — tempting Vinson with a significant selling-point, according to Vinson's mother, Denise Greig. Weaver had bought a four-hour audiobook of Paulo Coelho's novel “The Alchemist,” which was one of Vinson’s favorite books. The book, written in 1988, tells the story of Santiago, a young shepherd who sets off on a journey to find his "personal legend" — his unique path toward his destiny. Weaver knew that Vinson was searching for his path, too, and proposed they listen to the first two hours on the ride down and finish the rest on the ride back home. After leaving Vinson's house on Beach 95th Street, the two drove in near silence listening to the book through New York and New Jersey, Weaver said. "We bonded over things in 'The Alchemist,'" said Weaver, a New York City public school teacher. They both valued their relationships and wanted to excel, but Vinson was still figuring out how he could do it. He had recently graduated from John Jay College for the second time, this time with a degree in law that he hoped would boost his application to Columbia Law School, his mom said. His grades the first time around weren't high enough, she added, and he'd been changed by experiences since his first time as an undergrad to pursue something different. A photo of Darius Vinson taken for his graduation from John Jay College. In 2010, Vinson was arrested and charged with burglary and assault after what Greig said was a misunderstanding with his ex-girlfriend's father. Vinson studied the law, represented himself in court — and was acquitted, she said. But he saw how the justice system worked, and became more interested in helping others get through it. "Darius said, 'If this could happen to me, it could happen to other people,'" she said. Throughout his life he'd excelled at many things — in track at Westinghouse High School and as an amateur boxer. He and his cousin Kenyatta Harris later created their own boxing gym, Rockaway Ropes, at the Ocean Bay Houses. His last internship was with the Red Hook Community Justice Center, where he worked with parolees to help them get back on track. His title was "peacemaker," and it seemed to fit into what he enjoyed doing best, according to Greig. “I told him, ‘There’s something out there, you have to find your passion,'" Greig said. This summer he started that search, Greig said. He told her the hiking trip would help him clear his head. At the top of the Delaware Water Gap, Weaver and Vinson hiked the 3 miles down, enjoying the serenity and discussing aspects of life, Weaver said. Kye Weaver and Darius Vinson in an undated photo. (Courtesy Kye Weaver.) At the bottom was the Delaware River, where a group of swimmers swung from a rope that dangled from a tree. Vinson — an avid swimmer who had recently taken up surfing — told Weaver he wanted to try it. “There’s nothing saying anything bad is going to happen,” Weaver said, adding that there weren't signs noting the river's danger or to wear a life jacket. (Calls to the National Parks Service for comment were not returned.) Vinson swung three to four times, jumping off into the river. On his final try he tried to swing further, and got caught in the current. “Forty-five seconds into it, he starts yelling for help,” Weaver said. Weaver, a trained lifeguard, jumped into the water to try to save him. The water was only knee-high where he stood and he tried running to get to Vinson. “I yelled to him, ‘Darius, float, just float, just float,” he said. “He goes under again — and that was the last time I saw him.” Since 2010, more than 30 people have drowned at the Delaware Water Gap, according to a report published by NJ.com weeks before Vinson's death. None of the victims, including Vinson, was wearing a life jacket. Mike Atheras, a firefighter who helps train his members for water rescues, told NJ.com that the river can be a threat no matter how high or low the water level is. œWhen the river's nice and normal it's still dangerous,he said. Weaver said he still hoped he'd find his friend somewhere along the river waiting for help. Greig did, too, as she and nine other friends and family members drove down later than night to look for him. Through the darkness they hiked down the top of the mountain until they reached the bottom where Vinson went under. They used flashlights to search for him along the shore, yelling his name, hoping he was waiting for them. “I never hiked but that day I hiked three miles,” Greig said. “All that time I hoped — maybe he’s injured down there. I wasn’t going to leave.” Vinson's girlfriend, Raveenga Perera, also believed he was alive along the shoreline. I thought he was somewhere inlas always a fighter." The next day a dive team found Vinson's body 800 feet from where Weaver last saw him. He was buried a week later, and his family and friends are now looking for meaning in their loss. “Am I supposed to do something about this? Do something in the hopes that it doesn’t happen again?" Greig said the day after her son's funeral. She said she may get involved to help others recognize the dangers of the Delaware River, with more signs and awareness. Vinson was always pushing her, and had recently discussed helping her train for the New York City Marathon. In his honor, she said she plans to run in 2017. “I learned so much from him — in life, in death." Weaver said he listened to the last two hours of "The Alchemist" on the way home to New York. It took on a whole new meaning, especially as he looks to grow from the loss of his friend — who was just starting to show traces of who he could be. "The only regret — it's not that I didn’t get to him, not that he went in the water," he said. "I regret not being able to know the man he would become." Darius Lord Vinson, the only son of Denise L. Greig and Damon L. Vinson, was born on Oct. 1, 1988 in Forest Hills, N.Y. Darius passed away on Aug. 19. From a young age, Darius showed potential for a life full of achievement and success. He attended P.S 105, where many of his teachers took notice of and praised his intellect. He then attended P.S/M.S. 43. While there he was the editor of the school newspaper. He was the focus of a full editorial in The Wave newspaper in recognition of his community service. He also received the Governor George Pataki Committee on Scholastic Achievement Award and the New York City Council Speaker’s Gifford Miller Achievement Award. He was the recipient of two New York State Assembly Citizenship awards granted by former Queens Assemblywomen Michele Titus and Audrey Pheffer. Other honors included the Rockaway Rotary Club Award and The School and Community Working Together Award. He was also the recipient of the Rosemary Marchong Memorial Scholarship and winner of the Fun District 27’s Science and Social Studies Exit Project Fair Award. During his tenure at George Westinghouse Information Technology High School, he received his Regents Diploma with Advanced Placement Honors and obtained his certification in AutoCAD Architectural Design. He was a member of the George Westinghouse Varsity Indoor/Outdoor Track Team and was involved with several civic programs: the Anti-Bullying Committee, iMentor, Quality Steering Committee, and the George Westinghouse Philanthropic Association. He was the only student to be nominated to the Westinghouse Leadership Team four years in a row. In his senior year of high school, he developed a profound love for boxing and dedicated his life to the sport. One of his greatest achievements was becoming the first amateur fighter from Irish Ropes Golden Gloves, which lead to a victory in 2006. Darius attended John Jay College of Criminal Justice and obtained two Bachelors’ degrees. He received his first Bachelor’s of Science in Police Studies in 2012 and obtained a second Bachelor’s of Arts in 2015 for Law and Society with certification in Dispute Resolution. While attending John Jay, he was a USA Certified Athlete in the John Jay Boxing Program and USA Boxing Commission. He was the recipient of the Kenneth C. Hall Jr. Memorial Foundation Scholarship Fund. He completed his peer-reviewed thesis on Institutional Discrimination in Education. He assisted with the Annual Kay Pranis Restorative Justice Special Presentation. He was accepted into the Pre-Law Institute and was a Pre-Law Boot Camp Graduate. While there, he was awarded “Best Speaker” in the debates. Darius devoted a great deal of his time as a volunteer by serving as a tutor for the John Jay writing workshops. He also volunteered at God’s Battalion Loving Care Center, where he helped with City Harvest. He was the cofounder of the Rockaway Ropes Boxing Facility, where he wrote grants to provide a safe home for at-risk youth in Rockaway. He also volunteered at the Parsons Beacon Junior High After-School Program. Most recently, he was a Peacemaker with the Red Hook Community Justice Center, where he served as a role model and mentor to at-risk youth. Darius had specific goals that he wanted to achieve and he was determined and persistent in accomplishing them: becoming a criminal defense lawyer and a professional boxer. He faced many challenges in his life, which delayed efforts to achieve his objectives. The obstacles were due, for the most part, to failures within educational and legal systems, but he never lost sight of his dreams. He was a determined man who strived to reach all of his goals regardless of his circumstances. In doing so, he touched the hearts of many people that gave him the confidence to follow his amazing journey in life. Despite his constant hard work to achieve his goals, he also took part in many leisure activities such as skateboarding, surfing, writing and swimming. Darius always loved spending time with his friends and family, whom he held very close to his heart. His charming, outgoing and friendly personality always made people smile. He had a special gift for motivating others to do the right thing and served as a role model to all. His kind heart made sure everyone around him was always happy. He consistently went out of his way to make others feel included. Most importantly he gave advice to all and always saw the best in people and pushed them to reach their full potential. Darius always wanted to keep his family together as one unit and reached above and beyond to build strong connections with them. He had a big heart and never let anyone go unrecognized. He will truly be missed in every aspect of his loved ones lives. Proceeding Darius in death are his grandfathers Cleveland Vinson and Benjamin Greig. Darius is survived by his mother Denise Greig and his father Damon L. Vinson, his girlfriend Raveenga Perera, grandmothers - Jacqueline Vinson and Lorna Greig, great-grandmothers - Mamie Curry, Clarissa Waiters, uncles- Anthony Vinson, Che Vinson and Gregory Greig, aunts - Sharon, Angela and Dawn, great-aunts- Charlene Green, Rosetta Morris, Betty Ann Fludd, Yvonne Jackson and Venita Simmons, god brother Aaron Rivera and a host of cousins, nephews and nieces, other loving family members and friends.Darius Lord Vinson, the only son of Denise L. Greig and Damon L. Vinson, was born on Oct. 1, 1988 in Forest Hills, N.Y. Darius passed away on Aug. 19. From a young age, Darius showed potential for a life full of achievement and success. He attended P.S 105, where many of his teachers took notice of and praised his intellect. He then attended P.S/M.S. 43. While there he was the editor of the school newspaper. He was the focus of a full editorial in The Wave newspaper in recognition of his community service. He also received the Governor George Pataki Committee on Scholastic Achievement Award and the New York City Council Speaker’s Gifford Miller Achievement Award.



He was the recipient of two New York State Assembly Citizenship awards granted by former Queens Assemblywomen Michele Titus and Audrey Pheffer. Other honors included the Rockaway Rotary Club Award and The School and Community Working Together Award. He was also the recipient of the Rosemary Marchong Memorial Scholarship and winner of the Fun District 27’s Science and Social Studies Exit Project Fair Award. During his tenure at George Westinghouse Information Technology High School, he received his Regents Diploma with Advanced Placement Honors and obtained his certification in AutoCAD Architectural Design. He was a member of the George Westinghouse Varsity Indoor/Outdoor Track Team and was involved with several civic programs: the Anti-Bullying Committee, iMentor, Quality Steering Committee, and the George Westinghouse Philanthropic Association. He was the only student to be nominated to the Westinghouse Leadership Team four years in a row. In his senior year of high school, he developed a profound love for boxing and dedicated his life to the sport. One of his greatest achievements was becoming the first amateur fighter from Irish Ropes Golden Gloves, which lead to a victory in 2006. Darius attended John Jay College of Criminal Justice and obtained two Bachelors’ degrees. He received his first Bachelor’s of Science in Police Studies in 2012 and obtained a second Bachelor’s of Arts in 2015 for Law and Society with certification in Dispute Resolution. While attending John Jay, he was a USA Certified Athlete in the John Jay Boxing Program and USA Boxing Commission. He was the recipient of the Kenneth C. Hall Jr. Memorial Foundation Scholarship Fund. He completed his peer-reviewed thesis on Institutional Discrimination in Education. He assisted with the Annual Kay Pranis Restorative Justice Special Presentation. He was accepted into the Pre-Law Institute and was a Pre-Law Boot Camp Graduate. While there, he was awarded “Best Speaker” in the debates. Darius devoted a great deal of his time as a volunteer by serving as a tutor for the John Jay writing workshops. He also volunteered at God’s Battalion Loving Care Center, where he helped with City Harvest. He was the cofounder of the Rockaway Ropes Boxing Facility, where he wrote grants to provide a safe home for at-risk youth in Rockaway. He also volunteered at the Parsons Beacon Junior High After-School Program. Most recently, he was a Peacemaker with the Red Hook Community Justice Center, where he served as a role model and mentor to at-risk youth. Darius had specific goals that he wanted to achieve and he was determined and persistent in accomplishing them: becoming a criminal defense lawyer and a professional boxer. He faced many challenges in his life, which delayed efforts to achieve his objectives. The obstacles were due, for the most part, to failures within educational and legal systems, but he never lost sight of his dreams. He was a determined man who strived to reach all of his goals regardless of his circumstances. In doing so, he touched the hearts of many people that gave him the confidence to follow his amazing journey in life. Despite his constant hard work to achieve his goals, he also took part in many leisure activities such as skateboarding, surfing, writing and swimming. Darius always loved spending time with his friends and family, whom he held very close to his heart. His charming, outgoing and friendly personality always made people smile. He had a special gift for motivating others to do the right thing and served as a role model to all. His kind heart made sure everyone around him was always happy. He consistently went out of his way to make others feel included. Most importantly he gave advice to all and always saw the best in people and pushed them to reach their full potential. Darius always wanted to keep his family together as one unit and reached above and beyond to build strong connections with them. He had a big heart and never let anyone go unrecognized. He will truly be missed in every aspect of his loved ones lives. Proceeding Darius in death are his grandfathers Cleveland Vinson and Benjamin Greig. Darius is survived by his mother Denise Greig and his father Damon L. Vinson, his girlfriend Raveenga Perera, grandmothers - Jacqueline Vinson and Lorna Greig, great-grandmothers - Mamie Curry, Clarissa Waiters, uncles- Anthony Vinson, Che Vinson and Gregory Greig, aunts - Sharon, Angela and Dawn, great-aunts- Charlene Green, Rosetta Morris, Betty Ann Fludd, Yvonne Jackson and Venita Simmons, god brother Aaron Rivera and a host of cousins, nephews and nieces, other loving family members and friends.Darius Lord Vinson, the only son of Denise L. Greig and Damon L. Vinson, was born on Oct. 1, 1988 in Forest Hills, N.Y. Darius passed away on Aug. 19. From a young age, Darius showed potential for a life full of achievement and success. He attended P.S 105, where many of his teachers took notice of and praised his intellect. He then attended P.S/M.S. 43. While there he was the editor of the school newspaper. He was the focus of a full editorial in The Wave newspaper in recognition of his community service. He also received the Governor George Pataki Committee on Scholastic Achievement Award and the New York City Council Speaker’s Gifford Miller Achievement Award. Where's the story? PointsMentioned Map4 Points Mentioned He was the recipient of two New York State Assembly Citizenship awards granted by former Queens Assemblywomen Michele Titus and Audrey Pheffer. Other honors included the Rockaway Rotary Club Award and The School and Community Working Together Award. He was also the recipient of the Rosemary Marchong Memorial Scholarship and winner of the Fun District 27’s Science and Social Studies Exit Project Fair Award. During his tenure at George Westinghouse Information Technology High School, he received his Regents Diploma with Advanced Placement Honors and obtained his certification in AutoCAD Architectural Design. He was a member of the George Westinghouse Varsity Indoor/Outdoor Track Team and was involved with several civic programs: the Anti-Bullying Committee, iMentor, Quality Steering Committee, and the George Westinghouse Philanthropic Association. He was the only student to be nominated to the Westinghouse Leadership Team four years in a row. In his senior year of high school, he developed a profound love for boxing and dedicated his life to the sport. One of his greatest achievements was becoming the first amateur fighter from Irish Ropes Golden Gloves, which lead to a victory in 2006. Darius attended John Jay College of Criminal Justice and obtained two Bachelors’ degrees. He received his first Bachelor’s of Science in Police Studies in 2012 and obtained a second Bachelor’s of Arts in 2015 for Law and Society with certification in Dispute Resolution. While attending John Jay, he was a USA Certified Athlete in the John Jay Boxing Program and USA Boxing Commission. He was the recipient of the Kenneth C. Hall Jr. Memorial Foundation Scholarship Fund. He completed his peer-reviewed thesis on Institutional Discrimination in Education. He assisted with the Annual Kay Pranis Restorative Justice Special Presentation. He was accepted into the Pre-Law Institute and was a Pre-Law Boot Camp Graduate. While there, he was awarded “Best Speaker” in the debates. Darius devoted a great deal of his time as a volunteer by serving as a tutor for the John Jay writing workshops. He also volunteered at God’s Battalion Loving Care Center, where he helped with City Harvest. He was the cofounder of the Rockaway Ropes Boxing Facility, where he wrote grants to provide a safe home for at-risk youth in Rockaway. He also volunteered at the Parsons Beacon Junior High After-School Program. Most recently, he was a Peacemaker with the Red Hook Community Justice Center, where he served as a role model and mentor to at-risk youth. Darius had specific goals that he wanted to achieve and he was determined and persistent in accomplishing them: becoming a criminal defense lawyer and a professional boxer. He faced many challenges in his life, which delayed efforts to achieve his objectives. The obstacles were due, for the most part, to failures within educational and legal systems, but he never lost sight of his dreams. He was a determined man who strived to reach all of his goals regardless of his circumstances. In doing so, he touched the hearts of many people that gave him the confidence to follow his amazing journey in life. Despite his constant hard work to achieve his goals, he also took part in many leisure activities such as skateboarding, surfing, writing and swimming. Darius always loved spending time with his friends and family, whom he held very close to his heart. His charming, outgoing and friendly personality always made people smile. He had a special gift for motivating others to do the right thing and served as a role model to all. His kind heart made sure everyone around him was always happy. He consistently went out of his way to make others feel included. Most importantly he gave advice to all and always saw the best in people and pushed them to reach their full potential. Darius always wanted to keep his family together as one unit and reached above and beyond to build strong connections with them. He had a big heart and never let anyone go unrecognized. He will truly be missed in every aspect of his loved ones lives. Proceeding Darius in death are his grandfathers Cleveland Vinson and Benjamin Greig. Darius is survived by his mother Denise Greig and his father Damon L. Vinson, his girlfriend Raveenga Perera, grandmothers - Jacqueline Vinson and Lorna Greig, great-grandmothers - Mamie Curry, Clarissa Waiters, uncles- Anthony Vinson, Che Vinson and Gregory Greig, aunts - Sharon, Angela and Dawn, great-aunts- Charlene Green, Rosetta Morris, Betty Ann Fludd, Yvonne Jackson and Venita Simmons, god brother Aaron Rivera and a host of cousins, nephews and nieces, other loving family members and friends.Darius Lord Vinson, the only son of Denise L. Greig and Damon L. Vinson, was born on Oct. 1, 1988 in Forest Hills, N.Y. Darius passed away on Aug. 19. From a young age, Darius showed potential for a life full of achievement and success. He attended P.S 105, where many of his teachers took notice of and praised his intellect. He then attended P.S/M.S. 43. While there he was the editor of the school newspaper. He was the focus of a full editorial in The Wave newspaper in recognition of his community service. He also received the Governor George Pataki Committee on Scholastic Achievement Award and the New York City Council Speaker’s Gifford Miller Achievement Award. Where's the story? PointsMentioned Map4 Points Mentioned He was the recipient of two New York State Assembly Citizenship awards granted by former Queens Assemblywomen Michele Titus and Audrey Pheffer. Other honors included the Rockaway Rotary Club Award and The School and Community Working Together Award. He was also the recipient of the Rosemary Marchong Memorial Scholarship and winner of the Fun District 27’s Science and Social Studies Exit Project Fair Award.

During his tenure at George Westinghouse Information Technology High School, he received his Regents Diploma with Advanced Placement Honors and obtained his certification in AutoCAD Architectural Design. He was a member of the George Westinghouse Varsity Indoor/Outdoor Track Team and was involved with several civic programs: the Anti-Bullying Committee, iMentor, Quality Steering Committee, and the George Westinghouse Philanthropic Association. He was the only student to be nominated to the Westinghouse Leadership Team four years in a row. In his senior year of high school, he developed a profound love for boxing and dedicated his life to the sport. One of his greatest achievements was becoming the first amateur fighter from Irish Ropes Golden Gloves, which lead to a victory in 2006. Darius attended John Jay College of Criminal Justice and obtained two Bachelors’ degrees. He received his first Bachelor’s of Science in Police Studies in 2012 and obtained a second Bachelor’s of Arts in 2015 for Law and Society with certification in Dispute Resolution. While attending John Jay, he was a USA Certified Athlete in the John Jay Boxing Program and USA Boxing Commission. He was the recipient of the Kenneth C. Hall Jr. Memorial Foundation Scholarship Fund. He completed his peer-reviewed thesis on Institutional Discrimination in Education. He assisted with the Annual Kay Pranis Restorative Justice Special Presentation. He was accepted into the Pre-Law Institute and was a Pre-Law Boot Camp Graduate. While there, he was awarded “Best Speaker” in the debates. Darius devoted a great deal of his time as a volunteer by serving as a tutor for the John Jay writing workshops. He also volunteered at God’s Battalion Loving Care Center, where he helped with City Harvest. He was the cofounder of the Rockaway Ropes Boxing Facility, where he wrote grants to provide a safe home for at-risk youth in Rockaway. He also volunteered at the Parsons Beacon Junior High After-School Program. Most recently, he was a Peacemaker with the Red Hook Community Justice Center, where he served as a role model and mentor to at-risk youth. Darius had specific goals that he wanted to achieve and he was determined and persistent in accomplishing them: becoming a criminal defense lawyer and a professional boxer. He faced many challenges in his life, which delayed efforts to achieve his objectives. The obstacles were due, for the most part, to failures within educational and legal systems, but he never lost sight of his dreams. He was a determined man who strived to reach all of his goals regardless of his circumstances. In doing so, he touched the hearts of many people that gave him the confidence to follow his amazing journey in life. Despite his constant hard work to achieve his goals, he also took part in many leisure activities such as skateboarding, surfing, writing and swimming. Darius always loved spending time with his friends and family, whom he held very close to his heart. His charming, outgoing and friendly personality always made people smile. He had a special gift for motivating others to do the right thing and served as a role model to all. His kind heart made sure everyone around him was always happy. He consistently went out of his way to make others feel included. Most importantly he gave advice to all and always saw the best in people and pushed them to reach their full potential. Darius always wanted to keep his family together as one unit and reached above and beyond to build strong connections with them. He had a big heart and never let anyone go unrecognized. He will truly be missed in every aspect of his loved ones lives. Proceeding Darius in death are his grandfathers Cleveland Vinson and Benjamin Greig. Darius is survived by his mother Denise Greig and his father Damon L. Vinson, his girlfriend Raveenga Perera, grandmothers - Jacqueline Vinson and Lorna Greig, great-grandmothers - Mamie Curry, Clarissa Waiters, uncles- Anthony Vinson, Che Vinson and Gregory Greig, aunts - Sharon, Angela and Dawn, great-aunts- Charlene Green, Rosetta Morris, Betty Ann Fludd, Yvonne Jackson and Venita Simmons, god brother Aaron Rivera and a host of cousins, nephews and nieces, other loving family members and friends.