She defied the world at 16

By STEPHANIE HAYES, Times Staff Writer
Published August 5, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Family Photo] Danielle Edwards and her husband Joe Edwards on a vacation to Cozumel in March. They went there to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary.

PALM HARBOR -- She was like nothing he'd seen before.

Danielle Edwards, then 16, was punk rock. She wore a 1980s Mohawk that flopped to the side. She listened to alternative music -- Depeche Mode, New Order, the Cure.

She was single, and had just given birth to a son, Chase.

At a friend's house, she met a shy 16-year-old named Joe.

"She wasn't like anyone else," Joe Edwards said. "She wasn't like your typical cheerleader. She was an amazing beauty."

They were total opposites. Joe was quiet and reserved. Danielle was spunky, outgoing. She made friends everywhere, but if she didn't like you, she'd let you know.

They needed each other.

"We bonded together," he said. "We used to joke that it was like Bonnie and Clyde. We were going to beat the world.

"We did. We finally made it."

- - -

Wednesday night, an unlicensed teenage driver fleeing a Pinellas County sheriff's deputy crashed into a Jeep driving through Dunedin, deputies say.

Danielle, 34, was inside the Jeep.

She didn't make it.

- - -

Danielle and Joe never had much.

They moved from tiny apartments to bigger apartments. In one, Danielle painted crazy designs all over the walls.

They had a son together, and soon decided to get married. They were scared, but it was time to commit.

In 1997, they wed under a Palm Harbor pavilion. Eventually, they bought a house on Berkshire Court. They finally had a stable life.

Danielle exercised constantly, running a 4-mile loop around their new neighborhood. She convinced Joe to run with her. He tried to keep up.

This spring, Danielle and Joe took a 10-year anniversary cruise to Cozumel. It was one of the first times they vacationed alone. It made Joe recall their fun teenage exploits.

He wishes they could be back on the beach.

- - -

Danielle's world revolved around her three kids.

For a while, she worked at a day care facility so she could be near her son. Recently, she waited tables, enjoying the flexible schedule.

She rarely missed a chance to see her 11-year-old son, Brenden, perform in motocross races. Hot, muggy, dark or rainy, she'd be there running through the mud, cheering him on.

The family recently added on to their home to make room for their 3-year-old, Nathan.

Joe hasn't explained the accident to Nathan yet. How can he? What can he say?

- - -

Chase Harrison, 17, grew up with his mother.

She had him at 16. They were mother and son, but also best friends.

Chase told her everything. When he'd say something shocking, she'd make sure to zing him back with a juicy morsel about herself.

At age 14, he shared his biggest news: He was gay.

"She pulled the car over and just hugged me," Chase said. "She had no problem with it."

Chase's mom met boys he dated, and she never judged. She even went dancing with him at a gay club, he said.

He recalls driving with his mom, listening to the Ricky Martin song, She Bangs. At a red light, Danielle made guns with her fingers and swirled her arms wildly in the air. Other drivers stared in.

She taught him it's never wrong to be yourself. And when something bad happens, she said, you should pick yourself right back up and keep moving.

It's what he's trying to do now.

Stephanie Hayes can be reached at shayes@sptimes.com 727 893-8857.

Danielle Edwards

Born: April 1, 1973

Died: Aug. 1, 2007

Survivors: Husband Joseph Edwards; children Chase Harrison, Brenden Edwards and Nathan Edwards. Father and stepmother Daniel and Cathy Harrison; mother Phyllis Harrison; sister Laurie Lemminn; brother Kenneth Fisher; paternal grandmother Elizabeth Harrison; maternal grandmother Minerva Binaco; and 10 nieces and nephews.

Services: 11 a.m. Monday, Dobies Funeral Home, 701 E Tarpon Ave.

[Last modified August 4, 2007, 23:47:07]