Did I mention what an awesome company I work for? And what an awesome business partner it has?
I was attending a Computer Associates conference called "CAWorld" as a guest speaker when the tragedy happened. There is a special relationship between my employer, First Data Corporation, and Computer Associates that extends far beyond the typical "business partner" relationship. Both First Data and Computer Associates provided me with amazing support during the rough times.
For example, once I was notified of Timmy's death, I struggled with trying to find a way home via commercial airlines. I was near the point of dispair, thinking I would need to wait until the next morning before I could catch a flight home. That's when I received a phone call telling me that Computer Associates' CEO arranged to let me take his personal corportate jet back to Denver. Two hours later I was at the hospital with my friends and family.
An example of First Data's support to me is the way they provided meals to me and my family for 10 days after the tragedy. The managers may never know how important that was to my family. It allowed them to gather at our house and not have to worry about anything.
Finally, the most wonderful example of this special relationship is the playground we built together. CA and First Data teamed up with KaBOOM! to build a playground in Denver at St. Rose of Lima School and dedicate it to Timmy.
On November 4th, 2004, over 200 First Data employee volunteers, Computer Associates employees, and community volunteers gathered to build a playground for kids at St. Rose of Lima School in Denver. This playground will also server as a memorial to Timmy.
A bronze statue of young Timmy
will stand in the center of the playground.
This came about by another wonderful thing that happened during those months.
First Data commissioned a sculptor to create a bronze
statue that looks much like Timmy, and yet much like any little boy.
The statue portrays a young lad with his arm extended to release his Eagle,
reaching up with hope.
It is called "Timmy's Eagle" by Harold Linke.
The statue was placed at the playground site at a dedication ceremony
on August 22, 2005.
The project to build the pedestal was the Eagle Scout project of another
young man in Timmy's Boy Scout troop, Nick Rome, who achieved his Eagle Scout rank.