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A lot was said and written about Darren in the days surrounding his passing. Because of his young age, 17, and the nature of his death, a congenital heart defect that took him quite suddenly, it left his family, his friends, and the entire community...in a state of shock. Nearly every major Southern California newspaper picked up on the story, as well as Los Angeles News Radio and Television. His funeral services were a shining tribute to what a great person Darren was. His closest friends spoke of his constant smile...his loving nature...his positive attitude. They all admitted that Darren was the best of the best. They spoke of Darren's love of life and family. And for his love of God. Nearly 1500 people attended Darren's services...an outpouring of love, friendship, respect...a reflection of the love that Darren had given to so many. Darren enjoyed his life to the fullest. He was active in many things...his car club, Forbidden Dreamz. His high school, San Gorgonio. His job at Chaparral MotorSports, which he loved. His youth group at Immanuel Baptist Church. He loved living his life to the fullest...and lived each day to the maximum. He was a sports enthusiast...and involved himself in surfing, snowboarding, skiing, fishing, motocross motorcycle racing, car shows...and much more. Few people knew that Darren was also a Black Belt in Karate. He was always willing to try something new...and always gave it his all. When he collapsed on his last day at Newport Beach, he was where he loved to be, doing what he loved to do. God Bless you Darren...you were a shining star here on Earth...and your star burns bright, up there...in Heaven. Your memory will never be forgotten.  Los Angeles Times Article, June 29, 2000 Thursday, June 29, 2000 Orange County Edition Section: Metro Page: B-3 Teen Surfer Collapses, Dies in Newport Beach By: ANA BEATRIZ CHOLO SPECIAL TO THE TIMES A teenager out for a day of surfing in Newport Beach on Tuesday collapsed on the sand and later died, officials said. Darren Michael Bolton, 17, of Highland was surfing at the Wedge when he left the water, walked onto the sand and collapsed in front of a friend, said Donna Boston, emergency services coordinator for theNewport Beach Fire Department. The incident occurred about 6 p.m. Lifeguards performed CPR on the boy and tried other life-saving measures. Bolton was pronounced dead at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach at 6:53 p.m. Bolton was the second teen to die on local beaches Tuesday. Several miles up the coast, 14-year-old Chanan Remington of Brawley collapsed and later died as she was finishing a two-mile run along the shore of Huntington Beach. Remington was on her second day of training in a 10-week junior lifeguard program when she fell face first into the shallow surf about 100 yards east of the Huntington Beach Pier. Deputy supervising coroner Rod Thomas said an autopsy was performed on the two teenagers Wednesday. Over the next two months, toxicology and others tests will be performed. Thomas said it did not appear that Remington had any medical problems. Bolton apparently had complained earlier of stomach problems and may have suffered a head injury this month, he added. Copyright 2000 Los Angeles Times.  The Orange County Register, June 29, 2000 THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER SECOND TEEN COLLAPSES ON BEACH FATALITY: LIKE CHANAN REMINGTON, DARREN BOLTON HAD NO APPARENT HEALTH ISSUES. Thursday, June 29, 2000 Credit: RACHANEE SRISAVASDI:The Orange County Register Darren Bolton, a 17-year-old surfer with no apparent history of health problems,collapsed on the beach Tuesday after surfing with his best friend, Nathan Haskins,and later died. It was the second time this week that a seemingly healthy teen-ager died on the beach after exercising. Bolton, who lived in San Bernardino, drove out to the Wedge on Tuesday to catch some waves before the start of summer school. He and Haskins, both 17, surfed at the popular body-surfing area west of Newport Harbor for about five hours, then headed back to shore at 6 p.m. Bolton was sick to his stomach as he walked out of the water. He told Haskins he needed a minute to catch his breath. Haskins went to get the car, but then heard Bolton fall to the ground. He turned and saw the surf dragging his friend out to sea. "I grabbed him, but it was too late," Haskins said. "I felt him go stiff in my arms." CPR efforts failed, and Bolton later died at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian. An autopsy performed Wednesday was inconclusive as to the cause of death, although Deputy Orange County Coroner Rod Thomas said Bolton apparently died of natural causes and had no pre-existing medical problems. Toxicology and tissue tests will be done. On Wednesday, family and friends gathered at Bolton's home recalled the youth as an outgoing teen-ager who liked to surf and snowboard. His mother, Linda Bolton, said her son -- who attended San Gorgonio High School -- had been in several body-boarding contests. Bolton also liked cars, often sprucing up his Acura Integra, she said. "Never in his life had we known of any (health) problems," she said. "I'm devastated." On Tuesday, Chanan Remington, 14, collapsed during a two-mile run as part of the Huntington Beach Junior lifeguard program and later died. The coroner's office is also investigating her death, but officials have said Remington -- who lived in Brawley in Imperial County -- also appears to have died of natural causes.  The San Bernardino County Sun, July 1, 2000 Teen's Life Celebrated by Friends July 01, 2000 ANNETTE WELLS HIGHLAND 
It was just as his mother wanted a teen-ager's funeral.More than two-dozen lowered cars, with 16-inch rims and the words "Forbidden Dreams" pasted on them, were parked outside. She asked all of his friends to bring stickers of their choice to stick on her son's casket. Inside sat 200 grief-stricken high school students with baby blue ribbons pinned on their right breasts in remembrance of their friend and classmate Darren M. Bolton. Amid comforting each other at Immanuel Baptist Church Friday afternoon, some asked, "Why Darren?" "I was the last to see him," Nathan Haskins said. "He was so happy. ... It was one of the happiest days of his life and I am glad I experienced that." Seventeen-year-old Darren of Highland died Tuesday at Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach after suffering cardiac arrest. After body surfing, Darren and Nathan went into the water to brush off some sand, when Darren collapsed, said Gigi Pelissero, a friend of his family. According to the autopsy, Darren had a heart defect that no one knew about, Pelissero said. "It was a shock, but his mother wanted his funeral to be for the teen-agers," Pelissero said. "She wanted teen-age music, she wanted them to be casual and she wanted the kids to feel welcome and share what they felt for Darren." Following the incident, Nathan said he sought someone to blame for taking "his best friend" and "brother" away. First he blamed the doctors, himself, and then God. A Wednesday night prayer session at the church helped. "You could have been his best friend or his worst enemy," he said. "He (Darren) would have loved you either way." Echoing Nathan's sentiments, Jeff Evans, Bolton's youth pastor, said Darren was always positive. "He had that, it's all right, it's going to be OK attitude," he said. "But one of his greatest accomplishments was his Christian influence." Darren was baptized in November 1998. One of his last book reports, Evans said, was on the Bible. Another friend, 17-year-old Kyle Dykes, said he and Darren were looking forward to spending their senior year together at San Gorgonio High School in San Bernardino. "He was one of my best friends," Kyle said. "He was a great kid and one of the best I've ever known." Kyle said his friend, along with his passion for being a good Christian, was interested in cars. "He had been a member of Forbidden Dreams for about six months," he said. "He worked so hard on that car, and a couple of months ago he took it in to get fixed, today (Friday) was the day he was to pick it up."  Following the funeral service, Darren was buried at Mountain View Cemetery in San Bernardino. He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Linda and Neil Massenzo, of Highland; his father Mike of San Bernardino; two stepbrothers, Trevor Massenzo of Highland and Neil Massenzo Jr. of Denver; his sister, Misty of Lake Arrowhead; his stepsister, Carissa Massenzo of Highland; and his grandmothers, Virginia Bolton of San Bernardino and Arwilta Bright of Highland.  Mountain News, Lake Arrowhead, CA. Thursday, July 13, 2000 17-YEAR OLD DIES OF HEART ATTACK Young Highland resident and brother of local resident suffers heart attack while body surfing in Orange County Darren Bolton, a 17-year old Highland resident and younger brother of Lake Arrowhead resident Misty Bolton, died June 27 at Newport Beach after suffering a major heart attack while he was body surfing. According to a coroner's report, the heart attack was brought on by a congenital heart defect. Bolton, a student at San Gorgonio High School, would have graduated in 2001.Athletic and active in his car club, Forbidden Dreamz, and his church youth group at Immanuel Baptist Church, was vice-president of his school's student body. He loved Lake Arrowhead and hoped to someday live in the mountain communities. According to friend Kirk Munchhof of Century 21 High Country Realty, Darren was very close to his older sister Misty. "He always had a smile on his face," Munchhof remembers. Darren Bolton is survived by his parents, Linda Bolton of Highland, Mike Bolton of San Bernardino, sister Misty Bolton of Lake Arrowhead, step father Neil Massenzo, step brother and sister Trevor and Carissa Messenzo of Highland, and grandmothers Virginia Bolton of San Bernardino and Arwilta Bright of Highland. A service was held for Bolton June 30.  Forbidden Dreamz Car Club, San Bernardino Chapter 6-28-00 We lost a member yesterday afternoon due to a heart attack, Darren Bolton who drove the 1991 Acura Integra. He passed away after spending the day surfing. He will be greatly missed by all of ForbiddenDreamz members and affiliated chapters, Our hearts and prayers go out to his parents, siblings and friends. "May God take his thoughts and prayers and create a finer world." Rest in Peace. In his honor our site will be "silent" until further notice.  The Oracle San Gorgonio High School September/October 2000 By Zion Hilliker and David Cox Darren was an active member of Forbidden Dreams car club, as well as our own vice president during freshman, sophomore and junior year of the Class of 2001. But moreover, Darren was loved by all students as well as teachers and administrators. Darren is survived by his mother Linda Bolton, his father Forest Michael Bolton, sister Misty Bolton, grandmothers Arwilta Bright and Virginia Bolton, stepbrothers Trevor Masenzo and Neil Masenzo,Jr., stepsister Carissa Masenzo, and stepfather Neil Masenzo. Many remember the funeral at Immanuel Baptist Church where Darren was a member, the funeral procession on the 30 freeway that stretched hundreds of cars long, and the gravesite ceremony where everyone was given stickers to place on the casket, as well as a pen to write out their final thoughts, memories, and loving moments with Darren. Everyone is welcome to visit the grave site located in the center of Mountain View Cemetary on the corner of Waterman and Highland. Although there is an obvious change in the hearts of Darren's loved ones, friends and family, his memory is still kept alive. To help keep his memory alive, many have placed stickers on their cars saying "In Memory of Darren Bolton" with an Acura sign on each side of the text, for his beloved Acura Integra on which he spent many hard earned dollars and time, an obvious stand out acheivement not only to Darren but to everyone on the San Gorgonio campus. Many would agree Darren had the best looking car on campus. In fact, his car was such a big part of his life, that the reassembling of Darren's engine is being completed by his uncle Jeff Bright. The family plans to finish off everything that Darren had begun with his car and place it in car shows. Furthermore Kirk Munchhof has setup a website http://edgar.thevine.net/darren. Included on this page are pictures, newspaper articles, a guest book, and a message from the family. They encourage everyone to visit and sign the guestbook, helping keep the memory alive. The family set up a scholarship fund in their sons memory. For more information on this, see the website. |