My Friend Tom
UPDATE: SEE MORE STORIES, MEMORIES, PHOTOS, VIDEOS AND A MEMORIAL FOR TOM AT HTTPS://WWW.FOREVERMISSED.COM/TOMCASTIGLIA/
This post was originally going to be another wrap-up of a very successful SharePoint Saturday San Diego event, which it was. SharePoint Saturday is type of event that happens all over the globe meant to share knowledge on a product people tend to love or hate: SharePoint. But SharePoint Saturday has a slightly different meaning for me, it is how I met Tom Castiglia.
I believe it was in 2010, I was a SharePoint administrator working for a large company in San Diego, struggling, like we all did, from lack of resources to support what SharePoint is known as “The IT Swiss Army knife”. It seems to do everything and anything and if you lack support it is a real struggle. Lucky for me, I found out about a free event called SharePoint Saturday taking place at the San Diego convention center and I went on to attend. I was blown away by the professionalism, the quality of speakers and the magnitude of the event. I learned a lot, most importantly who this Tom Castiglia guy was. Fast forward, I came to become good friends with Tom and the rest of the very active (rockstars in my opinion) San Diego SharePoint organizers (Chris, Galen and Tony), to the point where I was actually helping to organize these events.
Tom was a special person because although he was smart as hell, owned his own consulting company, and basically, his “good person” reputation preceded him, he was the most humble person you could ever meet. He was always available to help out not only with technical questions about work, but with life in general. We used to meet up occasionally at his favorite Italian restaurant, discuss family, work and our next hiking trips. He was just a very friendly person who had this great aura about him. Some people call it “good energy”.
I will stake the claim that I introduced him to Moscow Mules. For those who don’t know, it is a ginger beer/vodka drink served in a copper cup, supposedly because copper enhances the taste. In Chicago, at the Ignite conference, we were hanging out and he asked me what I was drinking in such a cool looking cup. So I bought him one, and explained that they actually originate from my hometown Los Angeles, and have nothing to do with Moscow. Below is a horribly blurry picture, of my proof of “The birth of Tom and the Moscow Mule”.
Unfortunately, Tom passed away this past weekend. And as I type this, I can feel drops of rain falling on the back of my hands, yet I know if I were to taste these raindrops they would be very salty. Sadness comes in waves, one minute I’m remembering the good times we had and another, the fact that I won’t be having anymore with Tom. I will focus on the good times and hope that he meets me again one day with a brilliant, glistening copper cup because after living down here for a number of years, I’ll need a few.
If you knew this great man, and are local to San Diego, I invite you to attend Tom Castiglia’s Funeral on Tuesday February 5th at 10am. http://tomcastiglia.eventbrite.com
Saint Gregory the Great Church, Scripps Ranch
11451 Blue Cypress Drive
San Diego, CA 92131
