Darrin Adams worked six years as a custodian at Wayne State University in Detroit and worked hard at keeping the school clean.
But he was more than just a janitor.
According to his fiancé, Raejean Woolfork, the 54-year-old Adams had been in prison several times because of theft and drug offenses. But he wanted to turn his life around.
That’s why after several years working as the school’s janitor, he enrolled as a student in 2016, majoring in sociology with a bachelor of arts degree.
And he proved himself to be an eager student, sitting at the front rows and asking nuanced questions. With a 3.64 GPA, the university described him as “an all-star student.”
This new beginning was sacred to Adams. “He made a pact with God that if he got out this time, he would make changes and wouldn’t go back [to prison],” Woolfork told BuzzFeed News.
Sadly, it was not to be. Adams passed away on April 3, almost a month after having COVID-19 symptoms. What made it more tragic was that he was only 20 credits shy of graduating.
Wayne State University officials announced on May 1 that Adams would be given his bachelor’s degree posthumously.
“Adams’ commitment to his education and community will be remembered and missed,” officials said.
Adams first started to display symptoms on March 13. Three days later, both he and Woolfork came down with fevers and they bought sought help.
They had to go to urgent care on two separate trips. “We had a hard time because nobody would let us in because we had fevers,” said Woolfork. She also tested positive for COVID-19 and after a month in quarantine is waiting for her latest test results.
At the Ascension Providence Hospital emergency room, they both tested negative for the flu. After being given antibiotics, they were told to self-quarantine.
“It was crippling,” she said. “Our bodies were aching. We were sweating. We had fevers. We couldn’t eat, and the Z-Paks weren’t doing it. So I said, ‘We got to go back and find out what’s going on.’ That’s when I started getting worried. I’d never felt like this before.”
They were back in the hospital two days later.
Adams, who had a history of bronchitis and asthma, was diagnosed with double pneumonia but was sent home after being prescribed an inhaler and other medications. His discharge papers had comments that noted “worsening conditions.”
“I just watched him just decline,” said Woolfork. “I mean, I was sick too, but not as sick as he was — because he was having problems breathing.”
It was difficult for Adams to find a comfortable resting position and ended up sleeping on the living room couch. On March 23 at 5:30 am, emergency services responded to his call and arrived.
“They didn’t even come inside, because they said they couldn’t get contaminated or whatever,” Woolfork said.
Adams had to walk himself out of the house where he was eventually taken to Sinai-Grace Hospital.
“That was the last time I saw him,” said Woolfork.
On that same day, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer instituted a lockdown and directed all non-essential businesses to close. This went into effect at midnight on March 24.
Adams passed away 10 days later.
“He was a good person who wanted to leave a mark on the world,” said Woolfork. “And he has done just that.”
Replaced!