08/31/2026
As most of you may have heard, there was a devastating accident on Thursday, August 27th, on Route 294 that tragically claimed the lives of a father and daughter. This has weighed so heavily on my heart.
Darrel and Nora Gray are part of my Higby family, which makes this tragedy hit incredibly close to home. Nora was supposed to begin her senior year at ADK this week, and her dad, Darrel, was a huge part of the ADK football family. You can truly see the impact they had on their community through the out pouring of love shown towards them and how much they meant to everyone.
Darrel was also our Father’s Day giveaway winner at the diner this year.
Darrel’s wife and Nora’s mother, Marion, along with Mitchell, are now facing an unimaginable heartbreak. Marion has also been there for my grandpa, my mom, and my uncle through the hardest thing they’ve ever been through—the loss of my grandma.
This Tuesday through Saturday, we will have a donation jug available on the counter at Center Street Diner in memory of Darrel and Nora. At the end of the week, Center Street Diner will make a donation toward a scholarship established in their memory.
Whether you stop in for breakfast, lunch, a cup of coffee, or simply to show your support, we hope this can be one small way of showing how much this family and their community are loved.
Hold your loved ones a little tighter. Take the picture. Make the phone call. Say “I love you.” Make time for the people who matter.
Tomorrow is never promised. ❤️
Rest peacefully, Darrel and Nora. Our hearts are with Marion, Mitchell, the entire Gray family, and everyone whose lives Darrel and Nora touched. ❤️
Below is a picture of my little brother with the Gray family from a few years ago. 🫶🏻
