Gerard Butler pays tribute to Darius Campbell Danesh: 'He had the heart of a lion'

Virgin Radio

19 Aug 2022, 10:24

Gerard Butler has shared a tribute following the death of his "dear friend" Darius Campbell Danesh.

It comes after the Pop Idol and musical star's tragic passing in Minnesota earlier this week.

He became good friends with Butler in recent months.

It's thought Rod Stewart introduced them after Darius moved to America.

Butler has paid a heartfelt tribute: "To those lucky enough to have met Darius for more than a few minutes, they were deeply moved by his infectious laugh and barely containable zest for life. 

"He was always armed with a smile, a booming voice, and a genuinely warm embrace that few could resist-nor would they want to!!! 

"He was an incredible talent, a singer whose voice touched your soul and an actor with great presence. But, most importantly, he had the heart of a lion. It was bigger and brighter than the sun and an energy so contagious he could light up a room in seconds.

"Our boy Darius was always constant and unwavering in his passion for life. But a bigger constant was his dream to inspire others to better themselves. He talked the talk but boy, did he walk the walk. 

"He had such purity of thought, a deep wisdom and constant gratitude for people, for life, a compassion towards all. His hilarious self-deprecating sense of humor (he was funny as s***) allowed him to stay humble - something he valued deeply. 

'Darius' undying commitment to being of service to individuals- his family, his friends (none more so than me) and to the world at large made him the perfect friend. He led by example but he was also a teacher, as he pushed those he loved to be the best possible versions of themselves.

"The universe unfolds in ways we may not agree with or even understand. Somewhere in there I believe there is, or will be, some meaning in why he left us so early. If it was nothing more than teaching us to live with that open heart, putting others first and never taking ourselves too seriously as we learn to traverse this wonky world we live in then, that might be enough. 

"But something tells me there will be way more waves created by our boy Darius further down the line. My heart aches heavily. But going forward, I will beat my drum louder and celebrate life and its every beautiful moment because my brother showed me that was a pretty awesome way to go about it.'

Fans commented their support for Butler.

Supporters of Darius have been attempting to get his previous single Colourblind into the charts.

Other stars, such as Gareth Gates and Chris Martin, have also been paying tribute to the singer, musician and actor this week.