Where do I start!!!! Danny and i spent a lot of time together and he was like a brother. For years after High School we hung out and partied. I attended Danny’s funeral and it changed my life forever. The sorrow of those that knew Danny the best will be felt forever. If anyone knows contact information for Danny's family please send it to me as I truly miss them. I will never forget my brother Danny.
UPON GRADUATION FROM AIR ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL, DANNY LEFT FOR CALIFORNIA WHERE HE WORKED WITH HIS COUSIN (A CONTRACTOR) FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR. SINCE HE LOVED TO PLAY FOOTBALL, HE WROTE THE FOOTBALL COACH AT NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS UNIVERSITY AND ASKED IF IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO TRYOUT FOR THE TEAM AS A WALK-ON. HE WAS ALLOWED, AND REPORTED TO HIGHLANDS UNIVERSITY FOR THE START OF THE 1990 SEASON. DUE TO HIS HARD WORK, DANNY WAS ABLE TO MAKE THE TEAM AND WAS AWARDED AN ATHLETIC SCHOLORSHIP FOR THE 1991 THROUGH THE 1994 SCHOOL YEARS. IN 1993 HE WAS AWARDED THE NEW MEXICO HIGHLAND'S ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR OBTAINING A 3.75 GPA. HE GRADUATED AND RECEIVED HIS BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE IN SOCIOLOGY/ANTHROPOLOGY (CRIMINOLOGY) IN MAY OF 1995. AFTER GRADUATION, HE OBTAINED A JOB WITH A YOUTH TREATMENT FACILITY IN VALMORA NEW MEXICO, WHERE HE WORKED UNTIL HIS TRAGIC ACCIDENT ON AUGUST 4, 1995. FOR THE PAST 13 YEARS HIS MEMORY HAS BEEN KEPT ALIVE WITH A SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT HOSTED BY THE FAMILY AND COLLEGE FRIENDS, WHICH IS HELD IN SANTA ROSA, NM. THE TOURNAMENT IS CALLED THE DANIEL R. HERRERA JR., MEMORIAL SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT. IT IS HELD ON THE LAST WEEK IN JULY. TWO $500.00 SCHOLORSHIPS ARE GIVEN TO TWO SANTA ROSA HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATING SENIORS IN HIS NAME FROM THE PROCEEDS MADE AT THE TOURNAMENT
I have also promised Danny’s father an additional $500 scholarship on his behalf for this year’s tournament. I hope that anyone fortunate enough to contribute will do so and I will provide the information necessary.
We moved on base from South Carolina in March of 84. I was a scared, private schooled kid who had no idea of what AAJHS would be like (it was as horrible as I had imagined). I'll never forget getting on the Pine Valley bus that first morning. Danny let me sit with him and I immediately knew he was the best. He lived a block down the road and we spent so much time together. I would go to his house on Sunday afternoons in the fall and we would watch the Broncos.
During the summers, we would run sets of sprints in the K-dome on the field and up the stadium steps at night. He could play some ball and was absolutely fearless. Coach Klinsing pulled me out on defense once, and wanted to send Danny in. Danny wasn't paying attention and was late. He ran on to the field during the next play like a rocket and launched himself into the ballcarrier. He jolted that kid! He gets up, looks at the sideline, and his facemask is a little bent and there is blood all over his face. He came out to get cleaned up and was laughing hysterically as he came off the field. Danny loved to hit.
I loved riding around in his dirty old firebird listening to Judas Priest and N.W.A. He and Steve Knight and I would go to my house at lunch, eat frozen burritos and drink all of my Pop's world-class sweet ice tea. Pop would be a little pissed that all of his tea was gone each day.
Danny and I were at Joe DeBerry's house for a party our sophomore year. Danny unknowingly picked up somebody's spit cup, thinking it was his drink. He looked and freaked out and dropped it on the sofa cushion, spilling it (nice). We looked at each other, laughed, and turned the cushion over, and laughed some more. Totally immature now, but funny as hell at the time.
"Chalala" never said a bad thing about anybody (except Rampart football players not named Scott Ellis). I loved to try to get him riled up, because when he got angry, he would turn red and grind his teeth. He was one of the kindest people I ever knew, but you wouldn't want to mess with him. Even with as much time as we spent together, to this day I regret not spending more with him.
I was in Mississippi doing AF training when my mom called to tell me about the accident. She could barely speak. I called his mom and we both just cried for a while. I wasn't able to get to the funeral and I regret that so much, but the AF wasn't really cool about that stuff. My mom, Mrs. Paxson, and Mrs. Deberry went and said it was very nice.
I keep in touch with his little brother Victor. He lives in Albuquerque and just had a son (named Daniel). This year's softball tournament raised $2800. He was excited. I encourage anyone to contribute what you can.
Kelly L'Hotta (Stoltenberg)
Rest in peace, our dear friend.Danny died in a car accident in the early 90s.
Please post your memories of him, so we can all feel closer to such a sweet man.
Chris Pence
Where do I start!!!! Danny and i spent a lot of time together and he was like a brother. For years after High School we hung out and partied. I attended Danny’s funeral and it changed my life forever. The sorrow of those that knew Danny the best will be felt forever. If anyone knows contact information for Danny's family please send it to me as I truly miss them. I will never forget my brother Danny.Thank you for whoever started this page.
Chris Pence
Chris Pence
Guys here is an email from Dannys father:UPON GRADUATION FROM AIR ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL, DANNY LEFT FOR CALIFORNIA WHERE HE WORKED WITH HIS COUSIN (A CONTRACTOR) FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR. SINCE HE LOVED TO PLAY FOOTBALL, HE WROTE THE FOOTBALL COACH AT NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS UNIVERSITY AND ASKED IF IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO TRYOUT FOR THE TEAM AS A WALK-ON. HE WAS ALLOWED, AND REPORTED TO HIGHLANDS UNIVERSITY FOR THE START OF THE 1990 SEASON. DUE TO HIS HARD WORK, DANNY WAS ABLE TO MAKE THE TEAM AND WAS AWARDED AN ATHLETIC SCHOLORSHIP FOR THE 1991 THROUGH THE 1994 SCHOOL YEARS. IN 1993 HE WAS AWARDED THE NEW MEXICO HIGHLAND'S ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR OBTAINING A 3.75 GPA. HE GRADUATED AND RECEIVED HIS BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE IN SOCIOLOGY/ANTHROPOLOGY (CRIMINOLOGY) IN MAY OF 1995. AFTER GRADUATION, HE OBTAINED A JOB WITH A YOUTH TREATMENT FACILITY IN VALMORA NEW MEXICO, WHERE HE WORKED UNTIL HIS TRAGIC ACCIDENT ON AUGUST 4, 1995. FOR THE PAST 13 YEARS HIS MEMORY HAS BEEN KEPT ALIVE WITH A SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT HOSTED BY THE FAMILY AND COLLEGE FRIENDS, WHICH IS HELD IN SANTA ROSA, NM. THE TOURNAMENT IS CALLED THE DANIEL R. HERRERA JR., MEMORIAL SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT. IT IS HELD ON THE LAST WEEK IN JULY. TWO $500.00 SCHOLORSHIPS ARE GIVEN TO TWO SANTA ROSA HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATING SENIORS IN HIS NAME FROM THE PROCEEDS MADE AT THE TOURNAMENT
Chris
Chris Pence
Guys,I have also promised Danny’s father an additional $500 scholarship on his behalf for this year’s tournament. I hope that anyone fortunate enough to contribute will do so and I will provide the information necessary.
Thanks so much,
Chris
303-250-7481
Will McCombs
We moved on base from South Carolina in March of 84. I was a scared, private schooled kid who had no idea of what AAJHS would be like (it was as horrible as I had imagined). I'll never forget getting on the Pine Valley bus that first morning. Danny let me sit with him and I immediately knew he was the best. He lived a block down the road and we spent so much time together. I would go to his house on Sunday afternoons in the fall and we would watch the Broncos.During the summers, we would run sets of sprints in the K-dome on the field and up the stadium steps at night. He could play some ball and was absolutely fearless. Coach Klinsing pulled me out on defense once, and wanted to send Danny in. Danny wasn't paying attention and was late. He ran on to the field during the next play like a rocket and launched himself into the ballcarrier. He jolted that kid! He gets up, looks at the sideline, and his facemask is a little bent and there is blood all over his face. He came out to get cleaned up and was laughing hysterically as he came off the field. Danny loved to hit.
I loved riding around in his dirty old firebird listening to Judas Priest and N.W.A. He and Steve Knight and I would go to my house at lunch, eat frozen burritos and drink all of my Pop's world-class sweet ice tea. Pop would be a little pissed that all of his tea was gone each day.
Danny and I were at Joe DeBerry's house for a party our sophomore year. Danny unknowingly picked up somebody's spit cup, thinking it was his drink. He looked and freaked out and dropped it on the sofa cushion, spilling it (nice). We looked at each other, laughed, and turned the cushion over, and laughed some more. Totally immature now, but funny as hell at the time.
"Chalala" never said a bad thing about anybody (except Rampart football players not named Scott Ellis). I loved to try to get him riled up, because when he got angry, he would turn red and grind his teeth. He was one of the kindest people I ever knew, but you wouldn't want to mess with him. Even with as much time as we spent together, to this day I regret not spending more with him.
I was in Mississippi doing AF training when my mom called to tell me about the accident. She could barely speak. I called his mom and we both just cried for a while. I wasn't able to get to the funeral and I regret that so much, but the AF wasn't really cool about that stuff. My mom, Mrs. Paxson, and Mrs. Deberry went and said it was very nice.
I keep in touch with his little brother Victor. He lives in Albuquerque and just had a son (named Daniel). This year's softball tournament raised $2800. He was excited. I encourage anyone to contribute what you can.
Chalala was the best. I miss him so much.