D.W. Daniel High School is grieving the loss of two of our students following the tragic events of May 18, 2024. The loss of Zakaria Chaar (10th grade) and Rayan Alnasser (10th grade) affects us all. We are missing two members of our Pride, Lions who had an incredible impact on our school.
Zakaria Chaar - 10th Grade
One student remembers Zak as "a happy kid loved by many. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Zak, you will be missed brother." - D.W. Daniel High School Student
“It is impossible to think of Zak without picturing the smile he always seemed to have on his face. Quick to laugh but also able to easily switch gears to become serious and focused, Zak possessed an intellectual curiosity that made him a wonderful student to have in class. A good friend to many, Zak once wrote in 9th grade, "In a friendship, you have to put in effort and be consistent to create a good bond. Making friends and keeping them is worth the effort." He consistently demonstrated the depth of his friendships by always making time for others. Zak's warm spirit and unwavering dedication to his friends and studies will be profoundly missed by everyone who knew him.” - English Teacher, Dana Howard
“Zak always brought a cheerful, fun-loving attitude into our classroom. He was easygoing and had a fun sense of humor that brightened up our rehearsals. He had an outgoing personality that made it easy for him to work well with the other students in our class. Zak was a very good violinist who had a positive attitude towards learning and perfecting the instrument. We will greatly miss the fun interactions we had with Zak in our rehearsals. His smile and cheerful spirit will live with us forever.” - Music Teacher, David Saliny
“As Zak's tennis coach, I will always think of the word perseverance and think about never giving up. Zak's first year trying out for our team he was cut because he just needed more experience and time playing. The next week at Spindletree Racquet Club he showed up and started working to get better on the tennis court. A year later, Zak came back out and made the team. I remember how much he improved, and he became a part of the Daniel Tennis Family. I'll never forget his smile on the tennis court and around the school building when seeing him. Zak was a student and tennis player who enjoyed life.” - Tennis Coach, Jon Parker