The Yellowknife Community Foundation is honoured to announce the creation of the Darrel Mack Memorial Fund, established in loving memory of Darrel Mack, who passed away earlier this year. This fund reflects Darrel’s continuous care for his community and will support food security for young people and single parents in the Northwest Territories.
Darrel was a great man: he had the strongest of hearts, an indomitable spirit and a powerful love of family, friends, and life. He was a charismatic and generous person with strong values who liked to lift up everyone around him, and to help those in need.
Cabin Radio published a moving tribute to Darrel on June 20, 2025. The piece shares that he was diagnosed with stage four esophageal cancer in early 2021 and given just a two-percent chance of surviving two years. True to his fighting spirit, which was shaped in part by his lifelong love of boxing, Darrel battled courageously for four years in what he called “the fight of his life.”
The article mentions that Darrel and his wife Leela co-wrote the lyrics to her song ‘North Star Calling’, which includes the especially meaningful line, “Searching for light through darkest days.” You can listen to ‘North Star Calling’ here.
The Yellowknife Community Foundation is proud to carry forward Darrel’s memory in a way that reflects his belief in standing up for others and making life better for the next generation. “Darrel clearly made a deep impact on his community, and it’s evident how much love he left behind. We’re honoured to help memorialize him through the creation of the Darrel Mack Memorial Fund, and we look forward to supporting young people and single parents with food security once the fund begins granting.” Sara Brown, Board Chair
Your donation to the Darrel Mack Memorial Fund helps carry on his legacy of care and support for the North.
