Geryl Dominic Anderson made a conscious choice every day to be joyful. He believed in a higher power, was fortified by the divine love he felt, and strove to be a source of positivity and light. He had trials and tribulations, of course, but to speak to him, to look at him, you would never know.

Something you *would* know was when Dominic was in the room. He didn’t need to speak. Jubilant energy announced his presence. His greetings, now… you would know when you got one of those – a mix of that wide smile, his booming baritone, maybe even one of those breath-stealing bear hugs. He genuinely loved people, was always there to support, and was fiercely proud of the Gaithersburg students and their accomplishments.

A love of travel combined with years spent performing on stage with Disney and Universal, here in the states, on cruise ships, and in Japan, helped Dominic amass stories about a wide variety of people and places. He loved experiencing new things and always tried to get pictures to share with family and friends back home.

Dominic was quick to laugh, finding humor in every situation. Rarely would he stop laughing before having to dab at the tears in his eyes with his handkerchief. So many Dominic stories end with, “and then we burst out laughing.”

He was a talented singer, dancer, and performer. On an official stage or a plain old wood floor in front of a couple of friends, Dominic was in his element and ready to put on a show. He was no stranger to hard work or long hours of practice, but when it was time to hit the floor, he was ready. Ready to lead the conga line, ready to “be” the party, ready to shine his light.

It's been 5 years. The cardiac event that took Dominic was shocking, horrific, and tragic. The world lost an unwavering bright light. The ripples of that loss resonated around the globe.

It is still impossible to believe that we will never see him walk through our doors again. At the same time, his spirit, his heart, his smile, are all still here with us.

Why are we raising funds for the American Heart Association? So hopefully – one day – no one else has to lose their Dominic. So we remember the choices he made, conscious choices that made the lives of people around him better for it. So we remember to share our light. So we remember to choose joy. So everyone remembers his name.

We love you, Dominic. And we miss you.