In the past days the Joomla Community has been hitted by very sad news, Marco Dings, a beloved Joomla contributor passed away. 

The JCM Team decided to write an article to tribute Marco, collecting some words and memories from other Joomlers and celebrating his long term involvement in the project.

Comments are verbatim of the memories and contributions sent by the volunteers who participated in this article. 

Marco was a dear friend and an esteemed colleague in the field of technology. He was a highly skilled programmer and software engineer, and his passion for all things tech was truly inspiring.
Marco was the one of main reason I became an active member of the Joomla Community rather than just using the software as a consumer. Knowing that Joomla needs our support, he had an amazing enthusiasm and convinced others, including myself, to follow his example of selfless service and generosity.
Marco, like many others before him and perhaps many more in the future, dedicated a significant amount of time to improving the functioning of the Joomla community because he recognized the need for changes to secure its future.
It may seem strange, but Marco's well-meaning and expert advice often invited challenges and criticism. Despite this, he remained patient and consistently avoided getting drawn into public debates that would likely not be productive. He rarely felt the need to justify himself and never sought recognition for his kind and selfless actions. Being his assistant in the production department at the time, I knew that Marco was making a significant and long-lasting impact on the future of Joomla. I hope that his contributions will continue to inspire and motivate others, even those who never had the chance to know him.

Llewellyn van der Merwe

Marco Dings was such a good Joomla friend. We lived across the ocean from one another and could only occasionally meet in person at Joomla events. When we did I always enjoyed the deep conversations we had together. Marco was generous with his time to me even though I had little to offer him in return for all the help he gave me both in person and through video calls. He was so patient and he helped lift me up in my knowledge of Joomla and other technical things. He did that because he is a wonderful, kind and good person. I will miss him. I was so much looking forward to being able to see him again at some future Joomla event. Rest in peace Marco.

Joe Sonne

I had the opportunity to be close to Marco for several months, thanks to our involvement at the Board level. He was passionated, motivated and present. He had attention to details and knew in depth the Project and its people. I learned a lot from him and we spent many hours talking about Joomla, working together on advancing the project. Meeting him in person was just fun, can't forget the time spent together at the Forum for the Future and other sprints. Thank you Marco, I already miss you a lot.

Luca Marzo

Marco was a kind and lovely person who always found time to help beginners in the community like me.
He was a priceless member of the Joomla community. 
Those who touch our lives, stay in our hearts forever. He is one of them.
When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. Greatly loved, deeply missed ......BYE.......

Manu Beladevan

The Magazine Team would like to send a virtual hug to Marco’s family and friends for their loss. We are extremely grateful for having the chance to work with him.