R.I.P., Tony Marcella

I just learned from Matt the sad news that veteran RI political staffer Tony Marcella has died after an illness. He was just 42.

In my experience with Tony, he was insightful, funny, and I'd echo Matt's description of him as a modest individual who preferred staying out of the limelight. Even as he wrestled with growing health problems, he seemed to maintain his humor. My sympathy goes out to Tony's family and friends.

Here's part of Matt's report:

While seemingly knowing everybody in Rhode Island, Tony was incredibly humble.  He avoided the spotlight at all costs (evidenced by few to no references on the Internet).  It is a testament to Tony's selflessness that few people even knew the amount of pain and suffering he was enduring in the last 18 months.  

Tony served his candidates and his causes passionately and with every bit of his soul.  Literally, politics was his life.  I can remember vividly now getting phone calls at all hours starting with "did you hear that..."

Here is Patrick Kennedy's statement: 

“It is with a heavy heart that I bid goodbye to my dear friend, Tony Marcella who passed away last night. I offer my deepest sympathies to his loving parents for their loss, Angela and Anthony Sr. and his sister Kim and brother-in-law Chris who have stayed by his side throughout his lengthy illness. Tony will be sorely missed by me, my family and all his many friends he spent time with over the years.”

“Lately, as his health was failing, we would talk about the politics of the day and reminisce about times gone by. Tony was always at the center of Rhode Island politics, working behind the scenes on my campaigns and for Democrats around Rhode Island, always staying steps ahead of the issue of the day. Politics was truly in his blood and he loved every detail.”

“Growing up in Massachusetts, he first entered the political arena as an aide to former Speaker George Keverian. Tony later approached my father at a political event and while making his pitch for a job, spilled a glass of water on him. My father told Tony to call his Senate office, which he did and was hired. Tony joined me in Rhode Island in the early nineties and we worked together serving the residents of the Mount Pleasant neighborhood in Providence in the General Assembly before my election to Congress in 1994. I will always be grateful to Tony for the nearly ten years he spent as my trusted advisor and Chief of Staff.”