Remembering Drew Dauphin: The Sun personified

Drew Dauphin had a magnetic pull to him that no one could resist and was known for his creativity, wit and welcoming spirit. According to his family, he was a jack of all trades: Whether someone needed a joke, a shoulder to cry on or someone to just listen. He operated on a seemingly different level, providing comfort and solace for those around him.

Drew was born on March 9, 1998, in Montgomery, Alabama. His parents, Jerry and Margaret Dauphin described him as a wise, persevering young man. With only a two-and-a-half-year age difference, Drew and his younger brother Matthew were inseparable.

Drew had a larger-than-life personality, according to his mother. To her, his essence was like getting that good feeling when at your favorite restaurant. 

One could feel the atmosphere of the room change when Drew entered. He had this gift of spreading good vibes into a room, similar to a mist. It was a natural, joyful experience felt by many.

From a young age, he amazed his parents with his communication skills, confidence and wisdom which seemed beyond his years. As a child, he never shied away from talking to adults. 

One of Jerry’s favorite memories of Drew was how he was never afraid to speak with their neighbors, Karen and Jay Keene.

“He thought he was a grown-up too, I mean he just had this communication skill. The neighbors next door, they grew up with us, and Karen used to get a kick about Drew going over and knocking on the door and saying, ‘Could Mr. Jay come out and play?’ and Jay would go out and throw the football in the yard to Drew and Matthew,” Jerry said.

The Dauphin boys became a household term used to describe Drew and Matthew as they raced throughout their neighborhood in Montgomery. Drew loved action and thrills. He, his brother, other neighborhood kids and his cousins would pile into the Dauphin's backyard and get into all sorts of rowdiness. According to Margaret, Drew was always doing flips off the neighbor's fence or double flips on their trampoline. 

“We've been in Eastern Forest for 24 years, so everybody in this neighborhood has watched them grow up,” Margaret said. “They would run this neighborhood. I mean, you knew those Dauphin boys were gonna be outside, and there would be four to six other boys over here with them and they would just love playing outside.”

As a kid, Drew loved building with blocks and assembling Legos. He had a builder’s mind, always putting pieces together.

Drew attended Alabama Christian Academy and graduated in 2016. In the 2013-2014 season, Drew played as a cornerback and wide receiver for the school’s football team. He played baseball as well and was described as a wonderful left outfielder who could catch any ball hit to him. 

Drew was also known for his infectious smile and kind spirit. His senior quote was from one of his favorite musicians, Mac Miller's song "Best Day Ever," which says: “No matter where life takes me, find me with a smile.” 

A sweet-tempered calico cat named Momma Kitty joined the Dauphin family when Drew was around 18. Momma Kitty was originally his neighbor’s Karen and Jay's before they moved to Birmingham, and she chose the Dauphin's house to be her next home. Momma Kitty’s sweet soul took an extra liking to Drew. Whenever home, Momma Kitty would follow him everywhere and never missed a chance to cuddle him.

One of Drew's favorite places was his family’s camper at the Real Island Marina on Lake Martin. There, his dare-defying streak shone brightest when he and his brother would take on the lake pulling stunts as they wakeboarded across the water. 

Drew had an unmistakable dedication to wakeboarding, a challenging water sport that involves a delicate balance of speed, force and trust. He was a natural. Most mornings, he and his brother would wake at the crack of dawn just to get to the water. 

The timing behind a good wakeboard session is methodical and at times scientific. The time of day affects the clearness of the water and the power of the wave ripples caused by boat traffic. The Dauphin boys would often go before sunrise to prepare for their wakeboard sessions.

With the roar of the boat fading into the background, Drew, like a daredevil, would launch himself off the wakes when it was his turn, often defying gravity. He would twist his body as he caught air and spun in 180-degree flips before landing back on the water.

Often barefoot, Drew would venture out to The Landing at Parker Creek with his brother and parents to enjoy an evening of music and food when the daylight melted away at Lake Martin. On some nights, Drew and Matthew would help with bussing tables and clean up after other patrons once they left, to spread the good vibes the two had from their lake days. 

Drew also enjoyed it when his father grilled hamburgers at the lake. Spending time with his parents and brother and enjoying their company meant the most to him.

Every year, Drew, Matthew and their parents would venture out to Margaret’s boss’ beach house along 30A, a 24-mile highway that stretched along Florida’s Panhandle and the Gulf Coast. There, the family would enjoy the house all to themselves, lounging by the pool or on the white-sand beach and of course, Drew and Matthew made sure to enjoy the water. To Margaret, this was her time to have both her sons and husband with her all by herself.

Drew began his undergraduate study at Auburn in 2017. He was a part of the international fraternity, Phi Delta Theta. There, Drew impacted many of his brothers’ lives with his kindness and compassion.

“One of our other fraternity brothers had broken his foot at the time and we went down to New Orleans for our fraternity’s formal and Drew was pushing this guy around in a wheelchair the entire weekend and making sure he had a good time, you know hanging out with all of us and making sure he wasn’t missing out on anything,” said Joey Allison, a close friend and fraternity brother of Drew's. 

Joey met Drew in his freshman year when Drew was a sophomore. Drew was one of Joey’s first friends at Auburn, and the two eventually roomed together in a double-wide trailer. 

Joey said that he and Drew always got along. One of his favorite memories was falling asleep on the living room couch together after staying up late to watch storm trackers or tornado warnings on the weather channel.

“He was one of the most confident people I've ever met. He definitely cared about people and looked after them. That was something I learned from him,” Joey said. 

Henry Meehan was one of Dauphin's best friends. They met during Henry’s freshman year pledge period for Phi Delta Theta. They spent a lot of time together hanging out after class or at tailgates during football games.

Henry would often go to Lake Martin with Drew to hang out, and when he and Joey lived together, the three would have legendary barbecues and deep talks. 

“He just had this unwavering positivity where pretty much no matter what problem I would come to Drew with, he would always find a silver lining and a bright side and just kind of always saw the bottle half full,” Henry said. 

Something Drew's friends and family knew about him was his love for the sun.

“He loved to sit in the sun and always walked on the sunny side of the street and loved the warmth of the sun,” Henry recollected. “I think it just kind of reflected who he was of bringing light and warmth into the world. I definitely think his positivity was just something that I'll never forget.”

Drew always seemed to be doing something creative. One time when Henry came over, Drew was watching a YouTube tutorial on the television and practicing the saxophone. He had never been one to pick up an instrument. This sticks out to Henry as a sweet memory. 

The year of his graduation from Auburn University's College of Engineering, Drew got to be a project leader in one of his classes, something he told his family he was incredibly proud of.

On May 5, 2023, Drew graduated with a bachelor’s degree in industrial and systems engineering. After six years of hard work at Auburn University, Drew had finally earned his degree, something his family described as one of his proudest moments outside of landing his Honda job post-graduation. 

“It was it was like Christmas and 4th of July all rolled into one. It finally happened. I mean it was just—  we were on cloud nine,” Margaret recalled. 

“He was really proud of that degree that he got. He worked really hard at it,” Jerry said. “A lot of his friends graduated before him, And, you know, he stuck with it. He dug himself out of a hole. And, you know, he was really proud of that.”

Both Drew and Joey graduated together at Auburn University. The graduation ceremony occurred in the afternoon at Neville Arena, meaning he, his friends and family spent the morning in celebratory bliss. 

“We were hanging out at the trailer, having food, just talking with friends and family, and then me and him went to the ceremony together,” Joey said. “We sat next to each other and walked. I went first, and then he was right after me walking across the stage."

After graduation, Drew began working at the Honda Lincoln Assembly Plant in Talladega County as a supplier process engineer in July 2023. Matthew described Drew’s post-graduation job at Honda as another one of his brother’s proudest moments. 

Even while he held his job at Honda, Drew had some days in the week where he could work remotely. Those days, the Dauphin brothers would both travel down to their camper at Lake Martin and spend whatever free time they had hanging out, wakeboarding and enjoying each other’s presence.

"His one-year anniversary was in July, and his co-workers made a big deal of it. He was really surprised that they had a special conference call to honor Drew on his one year,” his mother said. “I think maybe getting that Honda job probably was one of his proudest moments. It was exciting.” 

Drew was responsible, respected and proud to be independent.

Drew tragically lost his life in the attack that struck New Orleans on Jan. 1, 2025. At his funeral on Jan. 12, 2025, over 1,000 people attended to pay their respects, and at one point the fire marshal was called because the funeral home was over capacity.

With a smile that lit up a room and a soul that exuded warmth, kindness and solace, Drew will forever be known as a man who loved the Lord, helped people be their best selves and embraced the world around him.