Diana Wyatt, who we knew as Dani, was small in stature. But what she lacked in height, she more than made up for in personality, kindness, hard work and glee. She was a friend to both her customers and her fellow vendors, often lending a sympathetic ear and a loving smile.
Dani worked with both Street Roots and our sister paper in Seattle, Real Change. Street Roots learned only recently that she passed away on July 1.
Most recently, she was a mainstay on the corner of First and Marion in Seattle, a spot she inherited when her childhood friend, fellow vendor Jonas Stone, passed away last year. Even with all the bustle of the block, the space feels emptier without her.
In Portland, Dani was a dedicated member of the community. Whether it was with a genuine smile, a deep laugh or a good joke (or two or three), she always knew how to brighten a room.
She loved to find that light in others, too. Once, when asked why she appreciated her customers, she said that it was because of their “smiles and positive attitudes.”
She also worked hard, selling papers most every day, even if it was rainy and cold, even if she was in pain. She wanted to make her customers happy and often wore an awesome purple wig and danced with some signature moves, twirling her papers from arm to arm, front to back, music playing softly on a speaker to help her keep tempo.
Dani was also a stellar mentor, always willing to take new vendors (and even staff!) under her wing. She was a natural leader who was full of advice.
“She had a great personality – she was a good listener,” said Amy Turco, a vendor who worked with Dani. “I’m really going to miss her. I just can’t believe she’s gone.”
“She was a fun, spirited person who brought a lot of joy to this office,”said Aileen McPherson with Street Roots. “She was always funny as hell – four-foot nothin’.”
When other vendors passed, Dani always had a heartfelt word to say in their honor. We hope to do her justice with this memorial.
Losing Dani feels like losing a member of our family. We will miss her deeply.
Dani leaves behind her husband, Mike Papariella, who has been a Real Change vendor since 2007.