My name is Trinity – and I have the honour of calling Daran Pratt my husband. On Thursday 23rd June 2011 – the unbelievable happened. Daran suffered a heart attack at age 41 and passed away.
At the time of his death Daran was a published author, a professional speaker, a life coach, a martial artist, a knife aficionado, a lead singer in a rock band, a personal trainer and of course my soul mate and best friend. We had just sold our gym, which we had built up to the best ‘alternative’ gym in the area.
Daran loved to train – was skilled at CSSD/SC, Muay Thai, and MMA & was a Krav Maga exponent & trainer. He loved sparring and preferred training with kettle bells, ropes, sandbags, clubs, tyres and barbells – in fact anything that fitted his philosophy of functional fitness.
He disliked typical big gyms, their results and their ethos. He preferred to train people in a way that was fun, challenging and delivered results in a short space of time. More than a few of his clients credit him and his methods with saving their lives and getting them off expensive & financially draining medications.
Likewise his life-coaching clients also achieved goals and dreams with his guidance & insight. He was a big kid, whose restless mind saw him start many projects at the same time; often moving on before they were completed and then coming back to them for a second go round. Some of his favourite moments came from kayaking or paddle boarding at the Haven near Terrigal.
He was not a saint - he was a man of great & varied passions who more often than not was caring, empathetic, patient and loving. He was also strong physically and really strong in his character and beliefs. Daran proudly didn’t take any crap from people; he was both hard and fair.
Daran was a wide eyed dreamer with vast energies; he had achieved many of his dreams and goals and was working on the next set which included a drug rehabilitation centre at the time of his passing.
He was larger than life and louder than everyone - and was the ‘glue’ that held a diverse group of people together. He will be missed greatly by those who knew him.
From a background of chronic substance abuse that lasted for decades from his early teens; Daran overcame all that life threw at him until the very last.
I was and still am so very proud of everything that Daran achieved. I loved him very much and like so many others; miss him more than any words can possibly express.
For those who knew him - no further explanation is necessary. For those who did not - no explanation is perhaps possible.
I am eternally grateful for the 3 years that I had Daran Pratt in my life.
Trinity Roberts
'On the Path' is based on a true life experience from a junkie to a millionaire. The raw truth of addiction and recovery, not just abstinence but a life change. The authors true recovery re-birth to a new life of happiness and wealth, beyond living in the gutter, homeless and destitute. On the path leads the way to education and understanding and rising above the potentially negative emotions, pains and hurts that so many addicts empower to govern their lives of misery. A sensational read for anyone looking for an answer to their addiction.
A must for all families, professionals and anyone working with addicts. A true and honest reveal into the heart, mind and emotions of addiction. Thank you Darren for the inspiration that recovery works. Your book makes my work so worthwhile.
Christa Bidgood - Founder of the Australian Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Inc.