- December 4, 2025
When Darius Kelley's daughter was born in 2010, he wanted her to have something that would connect them forever.
Perhaps, he thought, a necklace. He visited a Things Remembered store, and when faced with what he would engrave on it, he initially drew a blank.
"So I said, 'You know what? I'm just going to put "Daddy will always love you" on the necklace,'" he recalled.
But, that was too many words. So, he shortened it to DWALY.
And that's how the name of his nonprofit foundation was born.
On Saturday, Aug. 9, the DWALY Foundation will host its second annual Fatherhood Fiesta from 11 a.m.. to 3 p.m. at The Casements, located at 25 Riverside Drive in Ormond Beach. The free event aims to spotlight fatherhood, empower single fathers and bring families together by hosting workshops and seminars, having an on-site resource fair, as well as feature live entertainment and a kids' zone with crafts, games and activities. There will also be vendors and food trucks.
For Kelley, of Ormond Beach, he hopes this year's event is a celebration of fatherhood.
"Not all dad are in a position, such as myself where I get to see my kids every day, and I have the privilege of seeing them grow up on an everyday basis," Kelley said. "There are a lot of dads out there that want to have that privilege, that want to do the right thing in their kids' lives, but they just don't have the resources or the knowledge to do so."
The idea for the DWALY Foundation was born in 2013, but Kelley left his job in corporate America last year to dedicate his full efforts to his nonprofit, which was created after he noticed there was little help for single fathers who needed resources and help to take care of their children,.
"There was nothing there to actually assist them in getting the results they needed," he said. "From the perspective of a father, resources needed to actually go to court, fight for their rights and things like that, because there was a lack of knowledge, there was a lack of resources and we wanted to close that gap."
Fatherhood is a huge responsibility, Kelley said.
"But it's also the most rewarding thing that could ever happen for a dad," he said. "It's one of those things that is unlike any other thing that will ever happen in a man's life. It's a joy that you could never fathom feeling, and before I was a dad, I didn't understand that. Once I became a dad, I understood what all those different pieces mean when they come together in the formation of the father that any man would hope to be."
Kelley's first became a father on Jan. 1, 2004. It was the happiest day of his life.
Two and half months later, on St. Patrick's Day, his son died from sudden infant death syndrome.
"It was tragic — went from the happiest moment of my life to the absolute lowest point of my life that I could ever imagine," Kelley said.
When his daughter was born six years later, it was a scary time.
"I was a ninja dad," he said. "I was always creeping up on the crib, looking to make sure her chest was moving up and down."
Kelley, now a father of three, recently launched his own podcast as well: "The Weight of the Title: Raw Stories from Real Dads."
"I get emails from dads all over the country that don't know what to do because they just want to be in the lives of their children," Kelley said. "So what we do differently is we are boots on the ground. We take the funds that that the foundation raises, we change these dads' lives one at a time, depending on what their needs are."
For example, if a father is facing parental alienation (he's prevented from seeing his children) and he can't afford an attorney, Kelley meets with them to find out the needs and, if resources allow, help pay for an attorney.
That's why he hopes people come out to support the upcoming Fatherhood Fiesta, and especially, that dads come out with their kids and have a good time.
"And I hope the dads that are in positions such as myself will open up their their minds and their hearts, and their wallets to be honest, to donate to the foundation so that we can help other dads that are not as fortunate as we are when it comes to their children," Kelley said.
Visit dwalyfoundation.org.
