Leaving Microsoft (and other matters quite serious)

My last day at Microsoft was Wednesday, August 20th.

Here is the email I sent to my external contact list.

From: Damon Danieli [mailto:damond@microsoft.com]
Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2008 2:26 PM
To: Damon Danieli (damondanieli@gmail.com
Bcc: [external contact list]
Subject: Goodbye from that guy at Microsoft

You were sent this email if you were in my work address book. Maybe we worked together, maybe we met at a conference, or maybe we exchanged email at some time in the past. Hopefully you remember me. If not, here is my linked in profile to jog your memory:

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dir/damon/danieli

[btw, please add me to your contacts if you haven't already so we can keep in touch]

After 14 years at Microsoft, I will be leaving next week and wanted to tell you my new email address (damondanieli@gmail.com). As some of you know, but probably not many, I had a kidney disease which progressively got worse until the point where I needed dialysis for four hours a day three times a week.

However, an incredibly kind and generous person by the name of Sara Michelle Denis (a complete stranger) offered her kidney to me and we will have a kidney transplant next week on Tuesday, August 19th. When this all began, I didn't know what type of person would donate a kidney to a complete stranger, but after meeting Sara it was clear to me that there are completely selfless people on this planet who just want to help others out. I feel very fortunate to be chosen by her as the recipient.

Because of the battery of immunosuppressant drugs I have to take immediately after the operation, I have to stay in isolation from the outside world (think "boy in the plastic bubble") for 4-6 weeks so I'm taking this recovery time to transition out of Microsoft. damond@microsoft.com will be no more…

Lastly, I have to give a lot of gratitude to Microsoft for supporting me throughout the time my health deteriorated. Microsoft has been a wonderful company to work for and I will remember my time here with fondness.