Singer remembered as a `saint’ and `everyone’s mother’ By DENNIS WILKEN TGI Staff Writer More than 500 people turned out for a memorial service on Maui earlier this month for Darin Singer, the 43-year-old woman from that island found stabbed
Singer remembered as a `saint’ and `everyone’s mother’
By DENNIS
WILKEN
TGI Staff Writer
More than 500 people turned out for a memorial
service on Maui earlier this month for Darin Singer, the 43-year-old woman
from that island found stabbed and beaten to death on a west Kaua`i beach Aug.
30.
Last night, some of Singer’s Kaua`i friends added their
goodbyes.
In front of an altar filled with flowers, plants and two pictures
of Singer at the pavilion at Lydgate Park, Jay Kubis of Maui talked to the
small crowd about Singer.
“Daren Singer is a saint. She is unique in that
she embodied pure love, and the person who killed her is unloved personified,”
Kubis said.
“Darin had a power. She was everyone’s mother. Sometimes she
would sing all through the night. She had the power of God. She always said,
`God is in everyone’s heart,” Kubis remembered.
He had to stop his talk
once as he broke down momentarily.
“Kaua`i is as good as it gets, but it’s
not perfect. You can see that because of what happened to her,” Kubis
concluded, gesturing to a framed photo of a smiling Singer, surrounded by
flowers on the altar.
Kaua`i Mayor Maryanne Kusaka, who also spoke at the
tribute, said she did not know Singer but noted, “I’ve lived here for 36 years.
In Hanalei, we could sleep on the beach and no one would bother us. I’m sure
this is what Daren wanted. She wanted to be with nature. In our hearts, we all
want to feel we can be free and safe anywhere on this island. Unfortunately, we
have suffered many insults on our community.
“It seems like we are not
really living in paradise anymore. Someone called me the other day and asked
about hiking in the mountains. I asked her not to go alone. I hope that if we
learned something from Darin, (it’s) that we need to use caution in today’s
world.”
In conclusion, Kusaka said, referring to suspected serial killings
in which Singer appears to be the second victim, “We all feel a very deep shame
for this event. I am indeed sorry, and I know that she will live long in the
memories of her friends and in our memories, too. Every day we work hard to put
an end to the doubt of what happened to Lisa (Bissell, found murdered in April)
and to Darin Singer.”
And with that, Kusaka placed a lei around Singer’s
photo.
There was music and food and more memories shared by Darin’s friends
as darkness fell on the park.
Kaua’i Police are continuing their
investigation of the murders and an attack – possibly related to the killings –
on another woman on the island’s west side. That victim survived. There have
been no arrests and no confirmation of a suspect, although authorities have a
police sketch of a possible suspect.
Staff writer Dennis Wilken can be
reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) and dwilken@pulitzer.net
Staff Photo by
Dennis Fujimoto
FRIENDS reflect on the life of Darin Singer who was
recently killed at Pakala during special services held Sunday evening at the
Lydgate Park’s Main Pavilion. Special speakers included Kaua`i Mayor Maryanne
Kusaka and John Lydgate.
