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A Winkler worship leader recently released a music video highlighting the inspirational life of his brother Darren, whose Down Syndrome didn't stop him from living life to the fullest.
"The story of Darren really starts with my parents," says singer, songwriter, and worship leader Shawn Enns from Winkler. "They were notified by the doctor that he would have Down Syndrome. The devil comes to try and steal, kill, and destroy God's creations. Darren would present a mountain in front of my parents that they would have to climb. It wasn't easy, but God says, 'I'll never leave you or forsake you.'"
Enns' brother Darren passed away at the age of 49 on April 29, 2025.
"They're very encouraging and joyful people, and they love to try different things. That set him apart from a lot of other kids. He would always try anything. He was always happy, unless you made him mad. Everybody that came across his path [at work] really appreciated him."
The day Darren passed, a song title came to Enns from what he says is the Holy Spirit, called "Unlikely Flowers."
"The song I wrote is about planting flowers along the way as you climb these tall and steep mountains. Darren was an unlikely flower. He wasn't someone who was expected to do anything, yet he did so much. He just bloomed."
On a job site two days after his brother passed, Enns started to get inspiration for words that reflected Darren's life on Earth.
"Within a half hour, the whole song was written. I basically listened to the Holy Spirit and, word for word, wrote down what He said. I sat there and cried after."
Enns quickly recorded and then played the song at Darren's funeral a few short days later.
"Everybody there just loved it. They said, 'It speaks to his life and everything that he was.'"
Enns is also releasing a new song, "Praise Him Wholly," on Friday, June 6, 2025. On Saturday, Enns will be performing at a free concert held at Bethel Park in Winkler from 6-8 pm.