day 1 with dano

Everyone has a "Day 1 with Dano" story. Some have been posted, and some will be posted. It seems to be because that is the day that changed so many people's lives. 

Dan was one of the first people I met at X. I went up to Canada from the States not knowing a single person as I started my time at university. To set the stage, I went to my first Burke house intro meeting on Day 1. I got to the room and it was packed. I decided to find a quiet corner as to not get too much attention. I leaned against the wall and proceeded to knock a vacuum off the table next to me on to the floor causing a loud scene (still think this was a set-up, why would a vacuum be on a table....). Everyone looked over at me and I am sure I turned redder than normal with embarrassment. Great first impression Dillon... I picked it up and pretended like nothing happened as the whole room was watching and laughing.

After the meeting ended, I was walking across the field to head to the next event pretending like I didn't just do that. Dan and Brendan O'Brien caught up to me. I had a tap on the shoulder and these two guys introduced themselves. They has a mutual connection from a couple guys that had gone to X and lived in Burke the year before (Alex Weidel and Justin Johnston). Dan proceeds to tell me he watched me knock the vacuum over and applauded me for my great introduction to the house (with a big smile on his face). He told me that he and Brendan decided to make friends with me as I was the biggest guy in the house and it was always a good idea to make friends with the big guy for protection. I knew he was really doing it as he saw a guy by himself and wanted to make me feel welcome. It always meant so much to me having him do this.

As a quick ending to this day, little did I know, Dan and Brendan were the two protecting me later that night. I may have had a little too much to drink trying to show everyone how cool and fun the American was and I fell down a flight of stairs twisting my ankle to the point where I couldn't walk. I was dragged back to Burke by Dan and Brendan. That day was the day that started a friendship that lasted until now.

After 4 years of living together and university coming to an end, I always had worried that being the only American in a big group of all Canadian friends would cause me to lose touch. It didn't. Dan made his way down to Boston a handful of times whether it was with his Calgary friends coming to see a Red Sox/Jays game and a night out at Ned Devines or coming solo to watch Tom play for the Manchester Monarchs. He always made a point to tell me when he was coming so I would clear my schedule.

Dan was the guy who would never make someone feel bad. He was the guy who went out of his way to include people. He did this the first day we met and continued to do this for as long as I've known him.

Love you Dano

-Dillon Bonner