With deep sadness I am letting the WordCamp Miami and WordPress community know that Todrick Moore, a friend and volunteer to the community passed on September 25, 2018 of Leukemia. He was 41.
Todrick Moore was one of the kindest and strongest members of the South Florida WordPress community, and I still to this day remember meeting him first at his local meetup. Like many people that come to meetups he was eager to learn, but also as I would quickly come to realize, he would be eager to help others as well.
After coming to meetups, Todrick quickly volunteered and became a WordCamp Miami organizer in 2015 and 2016. Todrick primarily contributed in the areas of logo design and signs for the event, as evidenced by items he shows on his website. He contributed valuable time to providing even the smaller branding details, some of which only a small percentage of attendees saw. But to Todrick, these details were a part of the process and the quality and efforts he brought haven’t been matched since. He also was a vital part of the key organizer team during WordCamp Miami itself – it doesn’t matter what the job or task that needed to be done, he would help.
Todrick wasn’t just a supporter and volunteer. He was a good person, someone you would have to try VERY hard to NOT get along with.
The news hit me quick and hard when i got the phone call from another WordCamp organizer with the news. It was especially surprising since I was speaking with him a month ago via email. Although Todrick couldn’t volunteer past 2016 due to his illness we kept in somewhat regular contact. Every time he spoke he mentioned that he missed the community and was hoping to make “a comeback”. Of course, I told him to take it easy and it would be an honor just to see him again.
He was also starting a website and business – Made In The MIA. Shon, his wife, has informed me that the t-shirts at Made In The MIA will benefit Leukemia Lymphoma Society and bring awareness to Be The Match for people to become Bone Marrow Donors. She is looking for help with the website and online fundraising (reach out if you can help, although I know the WordPress community will take care of her).
Todrick will leave a hole in the local community and I’ll miss chatting with him. I won’t be able to look at some WordCamp Miami graphics, logos, and t-shirts without thinking about him – his quiet and kind demeanor, willingness to help, and be someone you can rely on. As no doubt his family, friends, and church will remember him in a similar way.
