Blow that killed DeLand man felt round the world

By Sarahrose Ministeri
BEACON STAFF WRITER

posted Dec 12, 2008 - 2:46:04pm

On Sunday, Dec. 7, family and friends of Eduardo Cademartori learned the 27-year-old DeLand man was on life-support at Meriter Hospital in Madison, Wis., with brain and spinal injuries sustained in a fight just one block from Crave Restaurant and Lounge, where Cademartori had been celebrating his arrival in Madison with coworkers.

A police officer had found Cademartori unconscious on the downtown Madison sidewalk about 2 a.m. Sunday morning. Two men, ages 19 and 22, were arrested and charged in the assault Sunday.

Loved ones tried to piece together bits of information, while praying he would recover. They learned police believed Cademartori had been followed from the lounge and attacked by three he had argued with at the Crave.

Cademartori had been in Madison about a week in connection with his work as a racing mechanic for Level5 Motorsports. His friends in DeLand gathered and prayed, anxiously awaiting news of his condition, only to hear of his tragic passing Monday evening.

News of the tragedy traveled faster than the award-winning racecars Cademartori was highly regarded for working on.

Argentina-born Cademartori had grown up in Los Angeles, where he graduated from high school and began his career in racing. His work took him all over the United States and the world. About two years ago, he bought a house in DeLand after being hired by BlackForest Motorsports Group, based on the DeLand Municipal Airport.

Cademartori quickly became a beloved member of the community through his outgoing nature, genuine personality, positive energy, and a sense of humor that — literally — many times left friends rolling on the ground laughing. In a very short time, Cademartori had made a home, not just as a resident, but as one of DeLand's familiar smiling faces.

On Dec. 8, The Beacon published its first coverage of Cademartori's story, triggering an outpour of media coverage and message-board comments from people Cademartori had touched both personally and throughout the racing world.

Blackforest Motorsports Group owner Brian Nott, who Cademartori called "Gov," hired Cademartori in 2006 as the Blackforest team crew chief.

"He was an old soul, and like a son to me," Nott said.

"Ed was our life," Nott's wife, Donna, said.

Driver Tom "Wildcat" Nastasi owns the No. 15 Mustang Cademartori built with the Blackforest team. In 2007, Nastasi drove the car to first-place victories in three consecutive races in the Koni Challenge series.

"I will miss him so much and, now, I will drive even harder for him. No one could motivate me to win more than him," Nastasi said.

He will drive No. 15 in the 2009 Rolex 24 at Daytona Beach during the last weekend in January.

"'09 Daytona will be for him," Nastasi said.

Friends remember Cademartori's nicknames, inside jokes, karaoke singing, his love of art, music, work, fun and mostly his love of life. They try to think about how he would react to this tragedy, quoting one of many of his catch-phrases: "Whaddya gonna do?"

"He would not want us to hate and seek revenge," close friend Courtney Ford said.

"I miss him and this just doesn't seem real," she said.

Disbelief is a common among those who knew Cademartori, from DeLand to Argentina. He was known for making people happy, not angry.

"He was a ray of sunshine and we are so blessed to have had him in our lives," Ford said.

Cademartori was known to family and friends as a true Renaissance man. In addition to his talent with race cars, he could sing, play a variety of musical instruments, spoke three languages, wrote poetry and made people laugh.

"It's amazing that he had time to do all of the things he did," one friend said.

"Eduardo made everyone who knew him feel as though they were the most special to him, that is how special he was," another friend said.

While loved ones in DeLand mourn the untimely loss of Cademartori's life, they find comfort in the effect he had on so many lives in so many places.

"Argentina cries for Eduardo," one friend wrote.

Funeral services will be at 3:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 18 at Our Lady Of the Assumption Catholic Church in Claremont, Calif., Cademartori's hometown. Friends in DeLand plan to celebrate Cademartori's life at a later date.

— info@beacononlinenews.com

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