The font I chose to highlight my friend was based on the simple fact that Dominick was not your regular kind of man by any means. I will try hard to keep this as succinct as possible, but it is going to be difficult.
When Dominick and I first met, we were friends immediately. We both had this intense love and respect not only for each other but also the profession that we both chose to pursue, preserve, and protect.
There are many instances of the two of us being together, but I will choose a couple that many will remember simply because of the location and the interesting events that happened at the annual NCRA Conference that was held in Chicago, Ill.
- Dom aced out Lady Gaga on his accommodations at the hotel when she was also in town for a weekend concert series. She tried to get the presidential suite but Dom had already booked it.
- During a member gathering at the hotel, Dominick pulled out his singing talent and rocked the room. It was like Frank Sinatra reincarnated. His ability to capture people’s attention when he spoke was magical and hypnotic, and more than anything else, he was enjoyable to listen to.
So many of us know about the Gallery of Shorthand that Dominick created in New York and I had a unique machine that I knew would fit well in this environment — one so many of us called the “STENOSAURUS,” with the overly long snout which housed an early onboard computer system for generating a computerized media to be input into a computer. I told Dominick about it, and he wanted that sucker bad. So I packed it up and sent it to him, and it is proudly on display.
Needless to say, I miss him terribly. He and I were going to have dinner together Friday, April 14, in Federal Way, Wash., where I reside, and when he didn’t contact me, I tried every way I could think of to track him down — voice mail, texts, and email — not a word of what was unfolding on his adventure to promote our profession here in Washington.
The next morning, I left for the event at Green River College where he was invited to be a guest speaker for the Washington Court Reporters Association Spring Conference. There, I found out what happened at the Denver Airport. I lost my mental focus immediately and even now writing this brings me intense sadness and tears.
In closing, Dominick is now helping God using his trusty steno machine while God is interviewing other potential angels. Spread your wings, Dom, you are missed!
In loving memory of my friend.
Roger Flygare is a freelancer and agency owner in Federal Way, Wash. He is also President of Court Reporters of Washington United and past president of Washington Court Reporters
Association. He can be reached at rgflygare@gmail.com.
