I knew Sean 22 years. But seems longer because he has been such a critical part of the most important things and events in my adult life.
Much like other stars like Cher, Madonna, Bono, or Prince – Sean could go by one name and immediately everyone in digital media knows who you are talking about. In our little world he was bigger than Elvis – he was a digital media rock star.
It was during those early days that he went from prospect, to customer, to friend, to mentor. Part of the iMedia Mafia. In 2006 as I headed off to war he became one of my main cheerleaders and pray leader. Then in 2006 a co-founder.
In Baghdad in 2006, I wasn’t kicking down doors and shooting bad guys. My role was Civil Affairs and one of my main missions was humanitarian aid. You don’t have to go far from today’s headlines to see the devastating impact war has on the innocent civilians. Sean sent some of the first packages for me to give out to children in need. Many people sent emails and letters of encouragement, but Sean used that opportunity to engage his children as well.
After being shot in Sept 2006 and my wife leaving me in a wheelchair in the hospital in Feb 2007 – I was in a dark place. But with TDFoundation Sean helped me find my true purpose in life. Helping others, giving to others. Sean helped me from being very self-centered to realizing that my mission was to look outward and help those in need. Something that came naturally to him.
So, I have an admission. I am not the co-founder of the TDFoundation. In fact, I had nothing to do with the foundation. Now there are talkers and doers – and we all know Sean could TALK – but as Paul Bremer mentioned in his Facebook post he was a world class doer as well. He used his connection to Bill Flatley and made the Forbes Gallery evening in October 2006 happen. I sat in the hospital and a week later an envelope with almost $20,000 dollars showed up with Tom Deierlein Foundation written on them…hence we began.
Our original mission from 2007-2012 was helping the needy and innocent children in Iraq and Afghanistan. From day one Sean was all in and even had his Mom do one of first major shipments of clothes. I have a photo from 2012 Claire and Morgan shipping boxes. Over those five years we shipped $140,000+ of school supplies, $50,000+ of medical supplies, $20,000+ in vitamins, hundreds of boxes of donated clothes and toys, and funded more than 50 life surgeries including severe burns, orthopedic reconstructions, and heart repairs.
I want to let that sink in – because of Sean Finnegan there are over 50 people now in their teens or twenties alive today. 50 families who will never know him but be forever in his debt. TDFoundation was not only his idea he made it actually happen.
In 2013 we turned our attention to neglected and needy children here in the US. Sean helped lead the pivot from international to national.
TD Foundation is a 100% volunteer organization that provides aid to children of wounded warriors and fallen heroes. We help American Veterans’ families in crisis. https://tdfoundation.org/
Much of our work is through a network of smaller, grass-roots charities with missions aligned with ours. We basically fill the gaps left by government programs, VA, and other charities. It is everything from a couple hundred dollars for school supplies, to a tablet for a boy with a reading disability, a refrigerator, to $15K to cover mortgage payments and keep a family in their home. It varies from truck repairs and overdue bills in collection to a new bed that lifts for a soldier with Traumatic Brain Injury. (TBI). Some of those partners include Code of Support, Operation Second Chance, Wounded Veteran Family Care USSOCOM Care Coalition and America’s Warrior Partnership who focuses on the prevention of suicide.
Here is a case we did in Spring 2002 that exemplifies Sean’s impact. Amy Hernandez is a veteran with a 70% disability rating. Amy is recovering from a divorce where she lost everything; her ex-husband sold them/took possession of them. Amy and her 2 children (ages 7 and 11) to have to quickly move into an apartment so that they would have shelter. Veteran receives no child support or alimony from ex-husband and has been sustaining using her VA benefits, savings, and her credit card. Veteran was facing an eviction in days. Veteran owed a total of $3017.96.
Her thank you note arrived less than 2 hours after we venmo’d her the money
I wanted to take some time to thank you for what you have done for myself, and children. Words can never express how much this has done for us, and how grateful I am. I never thought once that one day my kids, and myself would be struggling at all or this bad. Everything was taken from us. I used to volunteer at Fort Sam for the wounded warriors. Being on the side of needing the help was so hard. It’s amazing people like you that keep changing lives. My life was forever changed a year back, but your generosity has made us safe from losing our apartment. I will forever be grateful for what you have done. Thank you for helping me from the bottom of my heart.
Over the past decade we have provided more than $2Million in aid to more than 500 families in need.
Sean was always playful and enjoyed calling by my military rank Major Deierlein. Unless he was mad or frustrated with me and then he gave me a demotion and it became Captain Deierlein. He always came up with great ideas to make TDF bigger and better. He was PASSIONATE.
During the pandemic I tried to cancel the Gala our major fund raiser. Sean wouldn’t hear it – he took it over and ran it through his company and their team and their platform. Oh and three celebrities showed up too – par for the course with Sean. It was our most successful ever and the only one to raise more than $100,000. 6 weeks ago he was trying to find a way we could use TDF to get funds to those in need in Ukraine. Always thinking of others and how to help and how to use his network for good.
In baseball they talk about five tool players. Well Sean was one in business and in life. He always knew to keep his family his top priority. He made everyone he engaged with feel important and special.
The Facebook comments and memorial site is filled with folks Sean was my mentor, my guide, my first boss, he gave me a chance, he help me…He truly was the great connector. Thank you Sean for giving my life meaning, challenging me to make a difference for others, making me a better man. I am blessed to have known you and called you a friend. Rest in peace brother.
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