A Towering Example

“I have three things I'd like to say today. First, while you were sleeping last night, 30,000 kids died of starvation or diseases related to malnutrition. Second, most of you don't give a shit. What's worse is that you're more upset with the fact that I said shit than the fact that 30,000 kids died last night.”

― Tony Campolo

Yes, he famously said this, over and over again. 

Yes, he was criticized for saying it, over and over again. 

Yes, despite that criticism, he didn’t back down from saying it, over and over again. 

And that’s why we liked and respected him so much.

He cared more about innocent children who never had a chance to live and thrive and experience the beauty and joy of this life, than he did about using the most polite language to express his horror that too many of us have our priorities and values in the wrong places.  

He knew that using impolite language just might be necessary to grab people’s attention about what really mattered in this life - being empathetic, compassionate, caring, acting to help those who are in distress, and being vessels of love in a hurting world. 

That was Tony Campolo, who dedicated his life to those values.

Dr. Campolo passed peacefully from this life yesterday, in the presence of his family and loved ones, at age 89, at his home in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. 

A beloved husband, father, friend, educator, faith leader, and best-selling author, and a tireless activist for justice and compassion, Tony Campolo leaves a rich and tireless legacy, challenging those of us in this world to better care for one another in this world that we share. 

Dr. Campolo endorsed Someone To Tell It To’s work and mission. He understood listening’s vital role in improving the human condition. He gave the keynote address at our second Annual Gathering, in 2014, and riveted the crowd with his stories that exemplified his values and ours. 

The morning after his address, we met with Tony over breakfast, at the bed and breakfast where he and his wife Peggy were staying. We sat in rapt attention for several hours as he shared so freely of his experiences and regaled us with humor, passion, and compassion. He took our work seriously and later wrote about us several times and invited us on an international radio program he co-hosted. He believed in our mission and understood the power of listening with respect and intention. A few years later we also had the pleasure of having him on the Someone To Tell It To Podcast. Personally, he also introduced us to his Executive Director for Development Robert Gauthier, who has since become a dear and cherished friend. 

Tony Campolo’s life was a testament to faith, love, and the transformative power of relationships. For more than six decades, as a pastor, distinguished professor, public speaker, and prolific author, Tony touched countless lives around the world with his hopeful message of social justice, love, and reconciliation, according to his colleagues at the Campolo Center, at Eastern University. He taught at the University of Pennsylvania for more than a decade, and spent most of his academic career at Eastern, where he first served as a professor of sociology and later became a spiritual mentor to many. A charismatic storyteller, he was a much sought after speaker where he challenged individuals and communities to love their neighbors with radical compassion and sacrificial social action.

Tony wrote more than 35 books. His work resonated with people from all walks of life, and his passion for social justice inspired many to devote their lives to making the world a better place. Throughout his life, Tony was a towering example of kindness, exuberance, authenticity, and commitment, those who have worked closest to him have conveyed.

We are proud to have known him and to have had his endorsement for our work. 

We are grateful for the legacy he leaves, one which no doubt will live on in more ways than we can even imagine today.