When Darnell Cooks was 8‑years-old playing in the local Little League’s minor division, he didn’t really want to play catcher.
But even at that young age, Cooks understood what it meant to be part of a team — to think of something bigger than yourself.
“The equipment was hot and he didn’t want to be a catcher, but he never complained,” said Bob Lisi, who was Cooks’ baseball coach at the time. “He just did it, he did what I asked.”
Ansonia is mourning the loss of Cooks, 25, who died in a two-car crash early Sunday in Bridgeport. He was a passenger in an Acura being driven by his fiance, Amanda Shaw of Shelton.
Shaw’s injuries were initially described as serious, but Bridgeport Hospital reported she was checked out and released from the hospital shortly after the crash.
In addition to Shaw, Cooks leaves behind a two-year-old daughter, Darnaija and his mother, Betty Jean.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Wednesday, friends and coaches remembered Cooks as friendly, dependable and unselfish.
He was a respected player on two back-to-back Ansonia state champion football teams. He was named one of the captains in 2004.
Lisi is also the assistant principal at Ansonia High School, where Cooks graduated from in 2005.
“I always knew him as a person who would go out of his way for his friends,” Lisi said.
Cooks was a positive force on the Ansonia High School football field.
“If there were mistakes being made, Darnell was always on the field encouraging them to give that effort, to go the extra distance,” Lisi said. “There are not a lot like him.”
“He genuinely cared about people,” Lisi said.
Ansonia Charger Head Coach Tom Brockett recalled that Cooks had a large group of friends while in high school.
“Darnell was always one of those kids you loved to see, he had that million dollar smile,” Brockett said. “He was such a great kid. He was loved in the school.”
Funeral services will be held on Friday at 10 a.m. from The Evangel Temple C.O.G.I.C. of Ansonia at 38 Jackson St.
Friends may call at church on Friday, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Burial will follow in Pine Grove Cemetery.
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The loss was particularly hard on Ansonia High School assistant football coach Kevin Rowley, who said he thought of Cooks as a second son. Cooks was also close to Rowley’s son, Patrick.
Rowley said Cooks had an inability to lie. He was always polite and neat — the kind of young man who enjoyed ironing his shirts.
“He spent the summers with us, ate Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners with us. He was just a special kid,” Rowley said.
