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Christine DiRocco

I would never have thought that 18 years later, we would be here! Me regaling our beautiful friendship and preparing to say goodbye. All those years ago when I met you and Deb while planning your wedding… and so many laughs, fun, love, joy and celebrations enjoyed together. You two beauties showed up to meet your Catering Manager, Joe, remember? He resigned from the Kravis and I HAD to take over the planning. I say HAD to because I never wanted to plan weddings and on the heels of a brutal break-up, I had to put my “game face” on and meet you two. WOW, what a moment…! The universe had bigger plans of joy and fun in store for us that I never could have imagined on that day. Sooo funny. Now, I look back and I can’t understand why I am not in your giant group photo of your wedding??! Ha! Are you sure I am not sneaking in somewhere in the outer periphery?? As we have become such beautiful and long lasting friends, I can’t believe I am not in that picture. But, as I have come to understand, people just don’t cross Todd’s path, once you approach the path, you are on it for life. Todd, you are like a proud and prolific wine collector… you have beautiful friends and relationships of all vintages, varied varietals from all areas and regions of your life. And, you enjoy and cherish each one and savor the relationship. Sip, sip, hooray for us. Todd, you are distinct and exceptional human being – you walk in love, joy and generosity. You are loyal and loving to your friends, a beacon of joy and laughter, you are an advocate for small businesses, a connector of people, a light for all. You are generous with your time and attention to other causes and use your enthusiasm and influence to gather others in support to lift them up. Your love radiates to your core as a stalwart friend with a limitless sense of humor (remember that time you pretended to be a lawyer?), I still laugh about that. I was at the Norton the other day and that is always the memory that pops in my head, not the Chihuly ceiling, but you pretending to be an attorney. How many events have we been to where we just bump into each other and carry on with champagne, laughing, memories and adventures? Antique shows, cocktail parties in banks, receptions at Kravis, opera outings, symphony performances, WEF, Mar-A-Lago, Boys’ & Girls’ Club, New Year’s parties, birthday parties, cheese celebrations, wine tastings, dinner parties, more birthdays… love, joy, thoughtfulness, and generosity always carries the day! And, then, there is polo. I think we did it all - brunch, tailgates, box seats (thank you, Ritz Carlton), Mallet Grill, Seventh Chukker, more Veuve, Nacho Figueras and one of my favorite memories is the day we had nachos on a platter the size of a small satellite dish. SOOOO YUMMY! The best nachos ever, but it was probably your company and joy more than the toppings. Everything is big and generous with you, Todd! Generous of hospitality, spirit, love and joy. I think you even brought presents and lunch for all your nurses and I can’t even imagine how you got your neighbors to agree to your epic house parties! I never think that you were beaten by this disease, it might have presented challenges, but you overcame with another beautiful facet of you – tenacity. The joy continued as you traveled with your family. You threw more parties. Bigger parties! More dinners. More JOY! Joy carries the day for you Todd and Deb and you have given me a very special gift… embracing the joy. Despite physical setbacks, you persevered. You inspired me on my saddest days… I see your happy face and how can I be sad with such a beautiful friendship. My heart is filled. Your precious Deb and your beautiful girls will be surrounded with the love you have shown to others. You are one in a million, my beautiful friend. Our friendship is one of the greatest joys of my life. Thank you for being you. xoxo I would never have thought that 18 years later, we would be here! Me regaling our beautiful friendship and preparing to say goodbye. All those years ago when I met you and Deb while planning your wedding… and so many laughs, fun, love, joy and celebrations enjoyed together.

You two beauties showed up to meet your Catering Manager, Joe, remember? He resigned from the Kravis and I HAD to take over the planning. I say HAD to because I never wanted to plan weddings and on the heels of a brutal break-up, I had to put my “game face” on and meet you two. WOW, what a moment…! The universe had bigger plans of joy and fun in store for us that I never could have imagined on that day. Sooo funny.

Now, I look back and I can’t understand why I am not in your giant group photo of your wedding??! Ha! Are you sure I am not sneaking in somewhere in the outer periphery?? As we have become such beautiful and long lasting friends, I can’t believe I am not in that picture. But, as I have come to understand, people just don’t cross Todd’s path, once you approach the path, you are on it for life. Todd, you are like a proud and prolific wine collector… you have beautiful friends and relationships of all vintages, varied varietals from all areas and regions of your life. And, you enjoy and cherish each one and savor the relationship. Sip, sip, hooray for us.

Todd, you are distinct and exceptional human being – you walk in love, joy and generosity. You are loyal and loving to your friends, a beacon of joy and laughter, you are an advocate for small businesses, a connector of people, a light for all. You are generous with your time and attention to other causes and use your enthusiasm and influence to gather others in support to lift them up. Your love radiates to your core as a stalwart friend with a limitless sense of humor (remember that time you pretended to be a lawyer?), I still laugh about that. I was at the Norton the other day and that is always the memory that pops in my head, not the Chihuly ceiling, but you pretending to be an attorney. How many events have we been to where we just bump into each other and carry on with champagne, laughing, memories and adventures?

Antique shows, cocktail parties in banks, receptions at Kravis, opera outings, symphony performances, WEF, Mar-A-Lago, Boys’ & Girls’ Club, New Year’s parties, birthday parties, cheese celebrations, wine tastings, dinner parties, more birthdays… love, joy, thoughtfulness, and generosity always carries the day!

And, then, there is polo. I think we did it all - brunch, tailgates, box seats (thank you, Ritz Carlton), Mallet Grill, Seventh Chukker, more Veuve, Nacho Figueras and one of my favorite memories is the day we had nachos on a platter the size of a small satellite dish. SOOOO YUMMY! The best nachos ever, but it was probably your company and joy more than the toppings. Everything is big and generous with you, Todd! Generous of hospitality, spirit, love and joy. I think you even brought presents and lunch for all your nurses and I can’t even imagine how you got your neighbors to agree to your epic house parties!

I never think that you were beaten by this disease, it might have presented challenges, but you overcame with another beautiful facet of you – tenacity. The joy continued as you traveled with your family. You threw more parties. Bigger parties! More dinners. More JOY! Joy carries the day for you Todd and Deb and you have given me a very special gift… embracing the joy. Despite physical setbacks, you persevered. You inspired me on my saddest days… I see your happy face and how can I be sad with such a beautiful friendship. My heart is filled. Your precious Deb and your beautiful girls will be surrounded with the love you have shown to others. You are one in a million, my beautiful friend. Our friendship is one of the greatest joys of my life. Thank you for being you. xoxo