Tina Smith at the 2011 DNCruise conference.

This is a sad day for those of us the domain industry who have had the pleasure of knowing or just crossing paths with the effervescent and beautiful Tina Smith. We got word from Tina's husband Tim last night that his wife, best friend and partner had lost her battle with breast cancer. 

Tim and Tina founded an Orlando based company called Basati.com where Heather Fontaine posted a Remembrance of Tina today, noting, "Tina leaves behind a legacy of love, laughter and compassion, which will live on in each of us who knew her.  She not only changed the world while she was here, but her leaving will inspire us to be better people, to care a

little more, to love each other, to judge less, and to be compassionate for one another." 

Many in our business first met Tina and Tim at one of the domain conferences they attended, the 2010 Domainer Mardi Gras conference in New Orleans or the 2011 DNCruise conference held aboard a Caribbean cruise ship. While snapping photos during DNCruise I was struck by how this beautiful vivacious woman absolutely LIT UP every room she was in - she was literally a walking ray of sunshine. Rare people like Tina brighten everyone's life they touch and make an impression that never goes away.

Tim and Tina Smith at the 2011 DNCruise conference.

In announcing Tina's passing last night Tim told a Facebook group of their many friends - Tina's Warriors - "I am Who I am today because she was in my life. She pushed me, she believed in me, she loved me."

Tina, a gifted writer who chronicled her battle with cancer, also had a lot to say to Tim and her large and loving circle of friends in a post on her blog that was published today - a special goodbye she wrote, knowing time was growing short, titled If you are reading this post...

Though she has left us in physical form, Tina will, as Heather said, live on in everyone she touched along the way. Typical of their shared concern for others Tim requested that no flowers be sent. He said Tina always felt it was much better, much more productive, to donate that same amount to a worthy cause. He invited any who wish to do so to "choose one near and dear to you. Tina’s choice would be":

Libbys Legacy Breast Cancer Foundation
1718 S. Orange Ave
Orlando, Fl 32806
http://www.libbyslegacy.org 
https://www.facebook.com/LibbysLegacy