Memories of Derrick "D.C." Charles Vito

In memory of

Derrick "D.C." Charles Vito

Brooklyn, NY

April 29, 1975 - October 22, 2022

Apr 29, 1975 - Oct 22, 2022

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Shane Campbell

Shared a heart

Jenn Daub

Corey Valdez

Back in our younger days, some 20 odd years ago, Derrick and I would write long letters to each other expounding (excessively?) on things big and small. At this sad moment I'm struggling to come up with words. All I can say is he was an extraordinary person in my life. A flood of good memories to revisit and shed some tears over. Listening to Coltrane tonight in his honor. Rest In Peace, my friend.

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Emily Vito

Jenn Daub

Kas Stolzman

Susan Cohen

Comments:

Jenn Daub

Corey, you were a big part of his life. Thank you for honoring him. Corey, you were a big part of his life. Thank you for honoring him. Corey, you were a big part of his life. Thank you... Read more

Lynn Harris

I don’t feel ready to write anything but here I am. DC was — I can’t believe I’m writing “DC was.” If there is anyone who embodied all the depth and complexity and sweetness and anger and demons and angels of life, it was DC. He walked around having an impact on others, changing their paths whether they (or he) knew it in that moment or not. He knew what to get at a diner. We were supposed to go to one this week. I’m just so sad and sorry. May his memory be a blessing.

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Jenn Daub

Miriam Ackerman McBride

Corey Valdez

Emily Vito

Susan Cohen

Paulette Osborne

Comments:

Jenn Daub

Thank you for your words ❤️ Thank you for your words ❤️ Thank you for your words ❤️

Lynn Harris

Marianne, I utterly lack the words to say how sorry I am. Marianne, I utterly lack the words to say how sorry I am. Marianne, I utterly lack the words to say how sorry... Read more

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$5,015.00

Raised by 49 people

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Robert Friedman

It only took a handful of conversations for D.C. to leave an indelible impression on me. An inspiration to me and many others in the digital media and learning world. He leaves behind an incredible legacy.

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Jenn Daub

Miriam Ackerman McBride

Emily Vito

Susan Cohen

Comments:

Jenn Daub

Thank you Thank you Thank you

Lynn Harris

Shared a heart

Jenn Daub

Share your sympathy. Send flowers from a local florist to Derrick's family or funeral.

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Thomas Gray

2014, Costa Rica

Our wedding

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Emily Vito

Jenn Daub

Susan Cohen

Paulette Osborne

Comments:

Jenn Daub

This is such an amazing picture of you guys ❤️ This is such an amazing picture of you guys ❤️ This is such an amazing picture of you guys ❤️

Robyn McIntosh

Shared a heart

Emily Vito

Jenn Daub

Comments:

Robyn McIntosh

We were pen pals for many years, meeting up a few years ago when I was passing through NYC. DC had a generous... Read more We were pen pals for many years, meeting up a few years ago when I was passing through NYC. DC had a generous heart, felt deeply... Read more We were pen pals for many years, meeting up a few years... Read more

Robyn McIntosh

What a lovely invitation, Marianne. I have only been to Colorado once about five years ago. Derrick suggested... Read more What a lovely invitation, Marianne. I have only been to Colorado once about five years ago. Derrick suggested Telluride and I ... Read more What a lovely invitation, Marianne. I have only been... Read more

Larry Smith

I was lucky to get to know D.C. as he was starting The Lamp. The work that he, Emily, and their team did was vital and visionary. His infectious personality, never-ending smile, and non-stop hustle to make the world a better place was rare in a world that is so often cynical (especially in New York!). I know I am one of many very sad people right now that know that D.C.'s passion for the people, places, and things he believed in was always appreciated during his time here and will be deeply missed.

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Emily Vito

Jenn Daub

Miriam Ackerman McBride

Susan Cohen

Kas Stolzman

I met Derrick in the Spring of 2001 when he came to volunteer for the Bill de Blasio for City Council campaign in Brooklyn. From there we were friends for the next 20+ years.

Way back when, we did an annual fishing trip on the charter boats from Sheepshead Bay for a while. He and I ran in two Nike 5K races, and trained together in Prospect Park. He got so into it and pushed so hard that by the end of the run he said he couldn't see.

We had joint birthday parties at the end of April. He became close with a bunch of my childhood and college friends here, and was a part of our regular poker games, parties and annual dinners at Peter Luger's. He helped teach my son to ice skate at LeFrak.

He was a sweet soul who loved his dogs and family, living out his dream here in the Big Apple. I'm so grateful that I got to be a part of it.

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Larry Smith

Emily Vito

Jenn Daub

Miriam Ackerman McBride

Corey Valdez

Bibi Prival

Susan Cohen

Comments:

Jenn Daub

Thank you Kas for all of your love ❤️ Thank you Kas for all of your love ❤️ Thank you Kas for all of your love ❤️

Joann Clark

Derrick was awesome. He made sure we knew he loved us.

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Joann Clark

Jenn Daub

Kas Stolzman

Larry Smith

Emily Vito

Miriam Ackerman McBride

Susan Cohen

Marianne Van Doorn Perez

Sabrina Cartan

2021, Brooklyn, NY, USA

I met D.C. at an event for The LAMP a few years ago and was so moved by his mission that I applied to join the associate board. What followed were unfortunately too few years of work together, followed by the occasional lunch. While we didn't see each other terribly often, we always had such deep conversations about life, love, and getting teens to care about voting. Colorado, my polling place, and of course, Xanadu will always remind me of him.

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Jenn Daub

Larry Smith

Emily Vito

Miriam Ackerman McBride

Shailesh Rao

Susan Cohen

Maya Gutierrez

Shared a heart

Jenn Daub

Rob Christopher

2017, Chicago, IL, USA

DC making a speech at my wedding reception

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Kas Stolzman

Larry Smith

Emily Vito

Jenn Daub

Miriam Ackerman McBride

Susan Cohen

Rob Christopher

1995, Arvada, CO, USA

a still from the film "Pause of the Clock"

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Emily Vito

Jenn Daub

Miriam Ackerman McBride

Lesley Walbridge

Jim Robinson

Marianne Van Doorn Perez

Rachel Kerry

I have so many wonderful memories of working with DC at The LAMP. Once he tried to convince me that when he ate cupcakes, he also at the cupcake wrappers. I still don't know if this is true or not. Sometimes I'd hear him in his office singing along to A Tribe Called Quest. We spent a lot of time talking about media and young people and politics, of course. He was like this mischievous, passionate, social justice trickster. We were supposed to get beers this summer and catch up, but our schedules just didn't sync up. I meant to email him soon to try again; now heartbroken that that visit will never happen. The news of his passing is crushing. If there's an afterlife, I'm sure he's already organizing other souls to improve it. I'll go case a few beer joints in his honor, just like we were supposed to do in June.

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Sabrina Cartan

Larry Smith

Emily Vito

Lynn Harris

Miriam Ackerman McBride

Sinéad Devlin

Shailesh Rao

Marianne Van Doorn Perez

Wendy Chen

Comments:

Joshua Teeple

He definitely ate the wrappers. He definitely ate the wrappers. He definitely ate the wrappers.

Sabrina Cartan

Seconded. Seconded. Seconded.

Abby Weiss

Third. He'd hover around my kids waiting for them to leave their cupcake wrappers for him to eat. Third. He'd hover around my kids waiting for them to leave their cupcake wrappers for him to eat. Third. He'd hover around my kids waiting for them to... Read more

Rachel Kerry

That is so weird! That is so weird! That is so weird!

Emily Vito

I love "If there's an afterlife, I'm sure he's already organizing other souls to improve it." So true. I love "If there's an afterlife, I'm sure he's already organizing other souls to improve it." So true. I love "If there's an afterlife, I'm sure he's already... Read more

Jenn Daub

He ate the wrappers and at his wedding, asked for a big tub of buttercream from the cakemaker as a present.... Read more He ate the wrappers and at his wedding, asked for a big tub of buttercream from the cakemaker as a present. He ate the wrappers and at his wedding, asked for a... Read more

Sinéad Devlin

Will never see Super Bowl coverage without thinking of D.C. and #BreakTheSuperbowl. He was one of the good guys.

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Rachel Kerry

Sabrina Cartan

Larry Smith

Emily Vito

Lynn Harris

Jenn Daub

Miriam Ackerman McBride

Paulette Osborne

Comments:

Paulette Osborne

he was, indeed!! he was, indeed!! he was, indeed!!

Rachel Kerry

Shared a heart

Sinéad Devlin

Larry Smith

Jenn Daub

Richard McGlone

2014, New York, NY, USA

D.C. was delighted when he found out that I was a Tottenham Hotspur fan, his own team's North London rivals. Mostly because Arsenal had been significantly more successful for some time.

He felt it would be a great idea to watch the North London derby together and suggested we meet at a bar in Manhattan - on arrival, I quickly discovered it was the official Arsenal supporters bar. Dressed in my Spurs jersey and knowing that even being in the vicinity of one back home in England would result in certain physical harm, I suggested we should consider somewhere else. "Nah" he said. "It will be fine - you're in the US, it's different here." As he put his arm around me and walked me through the door.

After several death stares, a select number of expletives, and some rather creative ways of telling me that I was not welcome, D.C. zipped up his hoodie, put his arm around me again, and said "let's go."

Not too far away, he walked me into the official Tottenham Hotspur supporters bar, where he kept his colors hidden, and we watched the game..........Arsenal won. Again. His smile, the only give away that it was the result he wanted Vs everyone else in the place.

Thank you for walking me away from danger, even if you walked me into it. And thank you for showing me that New York could feel like home - you will be missed. Rest in peace, friend.

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Larry Smith

Emily Vito

Jenn Daub

David Fischer

Miriam Ackerman McBride

Samantha Cohen

Shailesh Rao

Paulette Osborne

Jenn Daub

Shared a heart

Mary Tamburello

I am a second cousin to Derrick. I remember well times at Snowmass, CO when he was younger. He was a kind and generous soul. I also have many warm memories of him at family gatherings at his mom's. Whether it be celebrating a birthday, graduation or some other event. He was dearly loved by many. Godspeed Derrick and rest in peace.

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Jenn Daub

Larry Smith

Emily Vito

Miriam Ackerman McBride

Marianne Van Doorn Perez

Comments:

Mary Tamburello

I remember it well Marianna. Derrick was so sweet and yes he had a good sense of humor. I miss him. I remember it well Marianna. Derrick was so sweet and yes he had a good sense of humor. I miss him. I remember it well Marianna. Derrick was so sweet and... Read more