In Memory of Professor Dennis Tini

A special message from our founder, Mitch Albom:

With the deepest sadness, I share the news of the passing of our dear friend and mentor, Professor Dennis Tini on October 7. We have lost our Maestro. Dennis was the driving force for the music our kids created at Have Faith Haiti. After a long distinguished career as a musician, university professor, and international artist and composer, Dennis devoted the last seven years of his life to bringing music to orphan children. His dedication, joy, discipline, and relentless belief that people could be better, that students could be better, that human beings could be better, was an inspiration to all of us. My heart breaks at the thought of traveling back-and-forth to Port-au-Prince without him sitting beside us, sharing stories and gushing new ideas for how we could make our children even greater. At 76, he had the energy of three 20-year-olds. His symphony has come to a halt, but the music that he left us will go on forever, in our ears and in our hearts. Godspeed, Dennis, dear friend. Your beat goes in inside all you touched.

If you’ve been directed to this website make an in memoriam gift, please click here to donate. Please add his name in the “In honor / memory of” field under “Dedicate my gift”

Read more about Dennis Toni’s work with the children of Have Faith Haiti in this edition of the “Life at the Orphanage” newsletter.