About Devin

Devin used to joke about his New Year’s resolution being “make no new friends.” He’d pretend to be a recluse only to come back and say he disappointed himself again: another friend. This time he met them while dancing all night, at practice or just from outreach for his business. Looking back on it, it’s rare for me to ever think that Devin failed at anything but if his goal was to repel people away, he just could not keep others from gravitating towards him. He was always recognized as a kind soul and someone that was worth knowing intimately. He built communities around himself and within those communities he was respected and loved dearly.

While we worked together, Devin was recognized for just how capable and wise he was; his accolades including his ability to learn and to overcome challenge have been reinforced in the last days by teams that miss him. He left an impact on everyone who had a chance to collaborate with or just get to know him. What our Orca Team remembers most were all those meetings where, with an open heart, he’d share all the amazing woodwork he had finished or the tournaments he was training for. The team is spread out across the country but each and everyone of us felt like we were a family and Devin was always the talented one who would succeed at everything and brighten our day in the process. A colleague shared a story of one of their conversations: Devin stood proudly in her office and told her about the girl he just started seeing from Jiu-Jitsu. He had a sparkle in his eye, an ambition to make her his wife and the ability to introduce himself to her in pure style: forward rolls across a mat just to say hello.

Devin and I would spend day after day crowded around a small desk with our laptops. I felt we understood each other and worked so well together. We would watch and rewatch random cartoons, quoting them incessantly. We’d also share stories, update each other on our lives or bring up ridiculous philosophical debates. We’d “rickroll” each other with our favorite scene from Futurama. Devin went as far as to code an entire website just to trick me to watch it (it worked). I got him back by writing a heartwarming goodbye email commemorating his departure from Apogee and linked the scene under the guise of a montage of his accomplishments (he fell for it).

It all started during his initial interview after he answered the most important question of the day: “What is your favorite action movie?” He quickly responded, “The Raid: Redemption.” Finally, someone who understood me! Years later, half of my social media is covered in photos of him and I coordinating outfits and jumping into mosh pits together. We even had special moves: we’d clear out the floor, lock arms and spin each other around in a circle of onlookers who wouldn’t dare get near us. I’ll think of him every time I hear Paramore. The outreach of friends from our favorite emo/punk events all echoed one thing: he was a good person and that was clear even as they got to know him on a crowded dance floor. He had done it again, drawn in close friends who were magnetized by his charisma.

Devin always put his heart into his convictions from the first day I had met him. In the past few years, he had turned his attention to call for equity, equality, and justice more vocally. We stood side by side during the BLM protests and, days after the protests, he proudly told me that he had made some calls to Austin’s City Council to weigh in on police brutality. He began drawing attention to issues of race on social media and began teaching those around him on its importance, instilling these values into his close personal community. I was happy to see him join discussion forums on cops that had advocates on both sides and saw him speak eloquently on anecdotal experiences and research. This was just one small aspect of his moral calling. Back when his involvement in the church was a centerpiece of his life, I used to joke that Devin was the first person I had met that was truly Christ-like. I’ll cherish those days where we would work on voter guides together. From providing aid and traveling abroad to help those in need, to mobilizing and instilling the value of voting within his own community, he lived a life dedicated to compassion and service.

I had the honor and privilege of watching Devin come into his own. It was amazing to see someone who had so much insight into themselves and the world around them by their early 20’s. At the end of the day, his resolve and his love taught me so much. We all cherish him for his kindness and the memories he helped make special and I know that I’ll carry his example close to my heart for the rest of my life.

By: Adam Podlisky