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**FIRST EMAIL**/Remembering Mike Wade
To the FIRST Community:
It is with deepest sadness that we share news of the sudden passing of Mike Wade on Saturday, May 12. This is a very sad loss for our friends at NASA and for the entire FIRST community.
Mike exemplified the spirit of FIRST with his Gracious Professionalism and ability to inspire so many young people and fellow volunteers. He was a valuable friend to FIRST and a great person work with. All who knew him are the better for it. We remember Mike with tremendous gratitude for his passion and dedication, and we will all miss his enthusiasm and many contributions to the FIRST programs and community.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to Mike's family, friends, and all those whose lives he touched.
In memory of Mike, we have asked three of our FIRST colleagues who knew him well to contribute their thoughts below.
Paul Gudonis,
FIRST President
Carol Kauffman, FIRST Regional Director:
Mike Wade, energetic, dedicated, and inspiring, was a gentleman who gave consistently and graciously of himself. He exemplified the magic of FIRST.
For four years, I was honored to serve as Regional Director of the Chesapeake Regional with Mike as the co-founder and committee co-chairman. Mike enthusiastically provided leadership and worked tirelessly so each and every student and mentor would have the greatest possible experience. He was so proud as his students competed and learned at the US Naval Academy. He was a remarkable person with a huge heart who unselfishly gave of his time and his outstanding technical skills and expertise.
He was also so proud of his arena, constantly explaining the time clocks, control systems, and displays. Not only did Mike use this arena to allow teams to practice prior to the event, and during the events, but he drove it up and down the East coast for all of our off-season events, all year long. Proclaimed by all as the Pied Piper of FIRST, he made sure each off-season competition was fair and fun for all, as well as being an incredible learning experience. His mobile machine shop at the FIRST Championship was a place to experience machining at its finest. He was committed, hardworking, and responsible, someone you could count on and go to anytime.
Mike Wade represented the best of FIRST, he was truly a great FIRST hero and a great friend.
Dave Lavery, NASA:
Mike's sudden passing is a tremendous shock to all of us. Many know Mike from his tireless efforts to provide a competition field and arena set-up at every competition event that needed one. He was constantly driving his field and Mobile Machine Shop truck across virtually the entire eastern half of the country. However, Mike provided much, much more to the NASA and FIRST communities - the contributions that he made comprise a very lengthy and impressive list. But preferring to remain out of the limelight, Mike was unassuming, graceful under pressure, and the very model of humility. Whenever possible Mike would much rather be in the machine shop in the back room than out in front with the crowds. Mike believed in making his contributions behind the scenes, and it was there that he had his greatest impact as he worked directly with every student that he could. Mike was a good friend, a wonderful participant in the NASA programs, and a mentor extraordinaire. The impact of his loss will be felt for a very long time, and he will be tremendously missed.
Steve Chism, FIRST Senior Director of Programs:
Mike Wade will be greatly missed, not only in the FIRST and NASA communities, but in the community of society in general. A great friend, mentor, father, husband, and all-around guy, Mike was the embodiment of the Essence of Success in all that he did:
"Successful is the person who has lived well,
laughed often and loved much,
who has gained the respect of children,
who leaves the world better than they found it,
who has never lacked appreciation for the earth's beauty,
who never fails to look for the best in others
or give the best of themselves."
May God bless Mike Wade and his family.
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This season, I was a part of a great team, with great kids who were really inspired, and who inspired me back. That's my brag, what's yours?
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