'Dollars for Darnell' to assist beloved cook

For the past 15 years, Darnell Cooley has been a cook at Heidelberg University. In recent years, he’s worked the morning shift, known for his tremendous eggs, a positive attitude and a smile on his face. Until one day when he wasn’t there.

Tyler Barker noticed.

“For the past couple of years, Darnell has made my eggs just about every day during the school year,” Tyler said. “I would always ask him, ‘Four over please,’ and he would respond by saying, ‘No problem.’” They'd engage in friendly conversation that always ended with Darnell wishing Tyler a great day.

Then came a day when Darnell wasn’t behind the counter, ready to cook Tyler’s eggs. “I thought maybe he had a day off, but when I did not see him for over a week, I knew something was wrong.”

It turns out Darnell has had to be away from work to deal with treatment for cancer.

“All of us who are part of Heidelberg miss him dearly and hope to see him back soon,” Tyler said. He’s been in touch with Darnell’s wife, Charissa, to get updates on his progress.

To help with Darnell’s medical expenses while he’s away from work, Tyler decided to start a GoFundMe campaign, “Dollars for Darnell.” He just wanted to make a small difference as a way to show appreciation for Darnell and his upbeat connection to the many students who cross his path every day.

“I saw a need and thought I could provide a solution that could help,” said Tyler, a senior business administration major and baseball student-athlete.

In the very early stages of the campaign, friends from near and far, those connected to Heidelberg and those who are not, have donated nearly $4,000 toward a goal of $15,000.

“I didn’t do anything too big … just what a lot of people thought about doing but maybe didn’t have time,” Tyler said. He added that he wanted to share his personal connection with Darnell, noting that many students – especially student-athletes – have similar stories. “We all appreciate what Darnell does for us – whether it be a simple conversation, a smile or his famous eggs.”

Visit Darnell’s GoFundMe page here if you would like to make a donation.