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This article is about the Novel Series character. You may be looking for his TV Series counterpart. For other pages with the same name, see: David

The devil has plans for us. The day of reckoning is drawing near... the Deceiver walks among us.
―David to April and Tara before his death.[src]

David Chalmers is a character first encountered in The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor. He is the father of April and Tara Chalmers. He is a wise and family-orientated elderly who requires using an oxygen tank for his emphysema. He is described as "a lanky, weathered old duffer, has the farmer-tanned face of a cigar-store Indian, with an iron-gray flattop haircut and ice-chip blue eyes."

Pre-Apocalypse[]

Barstow, California[]

David was born in 1937 and grew up in Barstow. He has lived a musical life since he was young, as in his early days in a local bluegrass boy band. He also worked as a DJ on WBLR out of Macon.

Clarks Hill, South Carolina[]

At some point, he moved to Clarks Hill, married Lillian from Chattanooga, and had two daughters, April and Tara. He and his family formed the Chalmers Family Band: he plays the mandolin and is in charge of vocals, April plays the guitar, Tara plays the bass, and Lillian sings high soprano on the group’s bluegrass and old-timey numbers. They were so popular that he was confident to be world-famous as the stars of the stage, screen, and state fairs across the South.

In 1998, his wife, Lillian, passed away from pneumonia, making the band into the trio. Still, they continued the act even after her death, playing the carny circuit across the tri-state area. He had his hands full as he became a single father. Tara was a pothead, and April had her mother’s temper and single-mindedness.

Around 2003, he began to suffer from emphysema. Slowly, he had breathing problems, but he insisted on performing to the point where he blew off his appointment with the doctor.

Post-Apocalypse[]

Rural Georgia[]

While in the Tennessee Bluegrass Festival, they made their way home in the band's camper, making it as far as Georgia's border before the camper broke down. While looking for a safe zone in Druid Hills, the family found a large number of people outside the gates of a large building. After failing to get the people to follow them, the Chalmers departed after finding a car that could be operated. After going a quarter of a mile down the road, several people on motorcycles attacked the people in front of the gated building while April compared the situation to the film "Road Warrior." Watching what happened to the innocent people left a certain feeling of guilt and distrust to other survivors.

They then took an Amtrak train from Dalton to Atlanta, which was full of the undead. They traveled there at night in stolen cars, searching for the refugee center before finally discovering an apartment complex to make a long-term base in the middle of Atlanta.

Rise of the Governor[]

"Atlanta"[]

After holding up in the complex for an extended period of time and clearing the floors, Philip Blake and his group of survivors which included his daughter, Penny, his brother Brian, and his friend Nick entered Atlanta. After Philip's group became stuck on foot after losing their car, April offered them to come stay with her family in her apartment complex. After a bit of uneasiness between both parties, the two groups form a close bond with one another which started to form as a family in Philip's mind. David Chalmers died of lung disease and came back as a zombie, attacking Tara, who was grieving by his bedside. Luckily for her, Philip was able to kill her undead father. Tara held a strong grudge against Philip until their departure, even though her sister, April, was more understanding of Philip's actions.

Death[]

Killed By
  • Emphysema

David had emphysema and needed his oxygen tank to assist in breathing, but he eventually died from the disease, later reanimating.

Philip killed David by bashing his head with a baseball bat after he attacked Tara.

Killed Victims[]

This list shows the people David has killed:

  • Possibly numerous counts of zombies

Relationships[]

April and Tara Chalmers[]

David was Tara and April's father who tried to do everything possible for his family and daughters. With his sickness of lung cancer getting worse, he wasn't as able anymore to take care of them. Later, when he and his daughters made it to the apartment complex in Atlanta, he dies from his illness and turns into a zombie. He attempted to attack Tara before he was killed by Philip Blake. Over time, April comes to understand and forgives Philip for his actions and killing her undead father. She realized that he was beyond help, however, Tara continues to hold a grudge against him for killing her father, even though he was already a member of the undead.

Nick Parsons[]

Nick and the Chalmers were aware of each other, but they are never seen interacting directly. Nick was sorry for Tara and April after David died, but wasn't personally affected. When Philip was kicked out of the apartment complex, Nick didn't get the choice to stay.

Appearances[]

Novel Series[]

Rise of the Governor[]

  • "Atlanta"
    • "Chapter Ten"
    • "Chapter Eleven"
    • "Chapter Twelve"

Trivia[]

  • David's favorite song is "Will the Circle Be Unbroken."

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