A Deep Loss

I woke up to shocking and very sad news today: Noel Cunningham passed away last night in Denver, at the age of 62. 
 
I met Noel 4 years ago when Rich Male told me about an Irish Catholic restaurant owner in Denver with a deep passion for Ethiopia. Noel had heard about the work of JDC’s Dr. Rick Hodes in Ethiopia and wanted to connect.  I called Noel and he invited me to lunch at Strings and we began to talk about Ethiopia, Dr. Rick, JDC and the work of The Cunningham Foundation, a partnership with Noel’s wife, Tammy. 

When Dr. Rick came to town, Noel hosted luncheons and became passionate about spreading the word about Dr. Rick’s work. Eventually, that evolved into his brainchild: A Dinner of Unconditional Love, which attracted more than 900 people and raised almost $500 K for JDC’s work in Ethiopia.  For a year this was his baby and he put every ounce of his creativity, energy and love into it.  I felt lucky every day to be around him, trying to keep up with him. 

When Dr. Rick’s patient, Prudence Mabhena, came to Denver for surgery at The Children’s Hospital, Noel spent countless hours with her—cooking, shopping, feeding, driving, arranging high speed car adventures, television spots, helicopter rides, basketball games, college lectures, concert performances, film festival engagements, time in recording studios, etc.  Because of Noel, Prudence went home to Zimbabwe with a new electric wheelchair (i.e. new legs) and to a new, handicapped accessible home.  This was a man whose mind and heart had no limits.

Noel’s compassion, energy, creativity and endless generosity never ceased to amaze me.  He would run out of the restaurant to help someone cross the street.  He took people under his wing all the time.  He loved making connections between people to serve the greater good.   I knew Noel for a relatively short period of time, but in that time, I saw him make a world of difference in SO SO many lives.  Including mine.  

I told him about my adoption very early on and when I got my referral, I couldn’t wait to share the news with him and went over to Strings to show him Bamlak’s picture. 

Noel was following this blog and on Sunday, November 27 I received the following e-mail from him:  “Great to see you so happy.  Your baby is the most beautiful in all of Ethiopia.  It is great getting the daily blogs.  God bless you and your new baby.  Prayers from Denver.  Please give our best wishes to Dr. Rick and his family.  Noel.”

I will deeply miss Noel Cunningham and will always be inspired by him.

May Noel's memory forever be a blessing.