Photos and text by Stacie Joy
Updated 2/19: The Daily News has a follow-up on Travis' death here.
In a follow-up email with Stacie Joy, his sister Chloe said that she is particularly upset that the police told media outlets how much Travis shoplifted to the penny but couldn't tell the hospital how long he was unconscious following the arrest. "That was just intolerable," she said.
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A familiar face in Tompkins Square Park, Travis "Grim" Durkin, died this past week while in the custody of the 6th Precinct in a hospice setting at Weill Cornell hospital. He was 47.
Travis' family doesn't have a lot of answers and is left with questions after being notified that he was found unconscious in his cell after an arrest for shoplifting on Jan. 18. There was speculation that he suffered a cardiac event and was placed in a medically induced coma.
After weeks of deteriorating condition, he was transferred to hospice care, and his life-saving support was removed. He died a few days later, on Feb. 9.
An autopsy is pending, as is a local memorial event. The family plans on Saturday, March 4, at 2 p.m., in Tompkins Square Park. Travis especially loved the New York hardcore scene, concerts in the park and dancing, so it's a fitting spot to pay respects.
"Being a good friend was important to Travis, as well as capturing the imagination of the person he was engaging in conversation with," his sister Chloe told me. "He liked to entertain people and cheer them up. And he wanted to be loved."
He is survived by his father and stepmother, Michael Durkin and Judy Durkin, two sisters, Chloe and Erin Durkin, and his daughter Rhiannon Jamison. His mother died giving birth to him.
The family requests that instead of assistance, please donate to Washington Square Park Mutual Aid or your favorite police reform cause.
9 comments:
too sad, RIP! hope heaven has a hell of a circle pit!
Damn!! I just turned 48 on the 9th of February, which is the very day he died. Life is so short and uncertain. We just never know what lies ahead for us. He was still a young man. How awful. I send my condolences to his loved ones.
How tragic. I can't even imagine that you would go to jail for shoplifting. This is beyond horrendous. Condolences to his friends and family.
Grim was a good friend to me and I will always remember his kindness. He will be missed by everyone who knew him and his bright beautiful spirit.
It saddens me to hear of Travis' passing. I haven't seen him in years due to my moving, however, we spoke online often. He was such an awesome soul and will be greatly missed. RIP GRIM
Honestly words can't describe how I felt when I heard this news. Travis aka grim or the grimister is what I called him and he's always get a kick outta it. Damn man it was just the other day 2w were walking talking about how the lower went to crap and it's all yuppies ha yeah we would go I. In the transplants. But yes he was a fellow guitarist from an old punk band we both had that same past. Then he was my friends for years after that. I swear if it was the cops that did that to him, oh man will there be an assist on 6th st. Precinct. It will make firt apache look like a warm up. God bless the departed. Much love g.
First and foremost, my condolences to the whole family Durkin family. I too find the fact that the cops knew to the penny what Travis stole, but when it comes to how he suddenly went unconscious under their supervision it's crickets. This type of convoluted story seems to happen way to much. That whole precinct deserves to be be put under review and then fired. Whatever Travis or anyone in that position may have or may not have done NEVER EVER deserve such treatment. And it's only if we speak up the way Chloe did will that ever happen. A light must be shined on these men and woman who "supposedly" are hired to serve and protect will real justice ever be done. This makes me absolutely sick to my stomach! The whole story reeks of fowl play. R.I.P Grim.
any updates?
I knew Travis when he was 14 15 years old in Bonnie Brae private school in New Jersey. He was a good kid. We all got along as friends after years of being there, . Family…. I saw him on Metropolitan Avenue in Queens. I think it was 2008 or 2009 I’m not too sure I haven’t seen him for at least 15 years before that. And I just so happen to see him crossing the street as I’m sitting at a red light I had his phone number but we really never kept in too close to contact because even then phones weren’t too reliable. Today I decided to just look him up. See how he was doing until I read this I do remember him wanting to make people laugh and yeah, he wanted to be loved, and thought of but he did it the right way not everybody in this world has an opportunity to live a life and make their families proud. Travis lived with a burden his whole life. A lot of us know what it was. Even though we’re not making a quarter million dollars a year driving around in Lamborghinis and living in beautiful homes doesn’t mean we’re not human doesn’t mean we don’t have the right to survive. Travis was a survivor. My heart goes out to his family and my prayers go out to him, see you in the next life Brother
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