Daniel Andres Stadelmann

daniel stadelmann
Daniel Stadelmann

Daniel Stadelmann, age 50, of McLean, Virginia died peacefully surrounded by his family and loved ones on March 28, 2020 following a long battle with cancer. He was known and will be remembered for his kindness and generosity to all.

Born to Eric Stadelmann and Amparo Rojas on February 16, 1970, Daniel was raised in Perú and Indonesia. He received undergraduate and graduate degrees in Finance and Accounting from the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, and a Master’s in Business Administration from the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Daniel began his career by spending ten years in the banking industry in Europe and Latin America. From 1995 to 2003, Daniel worked at Citibank Corporate and Investment Bank. He was responsible developing and managing corporate relationships with multinational corporations and local conglomerates in various industries. Daniel then co-developed a micro financing start-up in Argentina in cooperation with international micro lending institutions. He joined AES, an international energy company, in 2006. During his tenure at AES, he worked in numerous roles, including CFO of AES Gener in Chile from 2009 through 2014 as well as CFO of the Andes SBU from 2012 through 2014. Daniel become AES’ global Treasurer in 2014 and led the company to achieving its first investment grade rating in 2019.

Daniel spent much of his time experiencing faith and devoting himself to God. Eventually he understood his illness as a bridge for bringing himself and others to God. All were welcome to share in his religious journey, including his suffering, which he saw as a blessing in allowing him to experience Jesus more fully. He devoted himself to his family, friends and all others without limitation. He took advantage of every opportunity to bring others to recognize in themselves their ability to love God. Dani considered his biggest challenge as fully appreciating God’s unlimited love for all on earth, including himself. This search for the essence of God was continuous up to his final days when he was finally able to completely immerse himself in God’s love and to accept His will without reservation.

Daniel is survived by his loving family including his wife of 16 years Mariana, sons Mateo and Lucas, daughter Emma, and the many people he touched.

A memorial service is being planned, including live streaming, for family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=F7y9vc

Final Message to friends 3/25/20

My dearest friends in Christ,



I believe I have come a long way into this year’s Lent season, a different Lent season. It all started last year at the beginning of the Fall with a series of serious urinary issues; then, the confirmation of the rapid progression of the cancer into my prostate and bladder and, ultimately, in December with two major surgeries that led to the complete removal of both organs. Given the various post-surgical complications, I was not able to start with an immunotherapy (clinical) trial until mid-February. This entire period was in many ways a gift and a means to learn to offer my sufferings and uncertainty for the liberation of souls and to transform them into love and pardon. I can assure you that this experience was extremely difficult. Although, we often and easily talk about offering our sufferings, it is much more of a difficult practical task. It does not depend on us but on God as He is the one who is to accept those sincere sufferings. It becomes even harder without me knowing where and it what form my offerings will end up. However, this very unique constellation opened my eyes, and it has showed me how important it is for me to fully surrender to God and focus on what I can do (very limited indeed) and to entrust onto Him all the rest. But, does this then mean that I am being simplistic and irresponsible. No, he just wants me to do what is right and what is in my reach. He has never asked more. With this, I now have learned another aspect of God’s immense generosity.



My medical trial came to an abrupt end about two weeks ago, when the doctors confirmed that it was not working, as the images showed that the tumors had significantly grown and that both of my lungs had been severely compromised. To some extent, I had already sensed that this was the case since my breathing had severely deteriorated, in just a matter of a couple of weeks. So, it was the beginning of Lent. Not the Lent that I had envisioned but the Lent that my illness was giving me. At this point, I had already been struggling quite a bit with my humanity and the divinity of God in my life and the possibility of a miracle. I could well understand my own piece – the sufferings and offerings as part of my Lent experience to come closer to God. I could also well understand my love to my wife, children, family and friends, which are tangible to me. My understanding for my love to Jesus and his Virgen Mother was much more difficult to comprehend. Yes, I would easily talk about it, but again, practically speaking, it is so far of a concept that it is difficult to grasp even as I think that loving all around me brings me closer to God’s love. For long, I have tried to build a bridge between my simple humanity and the divinity of God in my life. And after much payer, I think that I have found my illness to be that bridge, that inspiration. The very near term possibility, absent of a miracle for which we continue to pray for, of my lungs shutting down has allowed me to savor that first taste God’s divinity. My illness has allowed me to come closer to God, experience His love and His peace and detach myself from all material world, as harsh it may sound. It is true, we have come to earth on a journey towards eternal life, not to satisfy our ego and pride. I am blessed for God has given me this grace to recognize His love on earth and to love him equally on earth. I thought I would accomplish this through offering my sufferings, especially during Lent, but – no, he has been gracious enough and allowed me to share into His suffering during this very special Lent.



As I was confused about all this, I have concluded that nothing will fill me with more joy and peace than surrendering and giving myself entirely to Him. Whatever it is, I know that He loves me and those around me. I also know that I have come as far as humanly capable and that my fate lies in His tender and merciful hands. I, along with you, will continue to pray for His will to be done on earth until the very last minute, and this shall be a very beautiful and unique moment in our lives.



Shall God decide to take me with Him, it shall be a celebration, a sign of gratitude for accepting me, a simple sinner, hopefully one day, into His Kingdom, but certainly not a tragedy – that is certainly not his will. Life at the end is not about me but rather how much of His will we can accomplish on earth.



As we have done over the past four years, let’s always unite in prayer, always trust in God.



With my heartfelt love and gratitude,

Daniel

(25-Mar-2020)

50th Birthday Message 2/2020

Thank You from Daniel

Dear Father Andrew, thank you for your generosity, your friendship and for offering this beautiful mass for all of us today.

When Mariana asked me what I wished for my birthday I immediately told her: nothing, I have all I need. Obviously and characteristically of her generous heart, she was not pleased with my answer. So, immediately I responded that I wished to celebrate my 50th birthday with a mass in Thanksgiving for God’s gift of life, for the beautiful family and friends and for the abundant graces that He has blessed me with over these past 50 years, particularly the last four. Then earlier this week in one of my appointments, a nurse asked me what I would be doing for my birthday? I spontaneously replied that we would celebrate with a mass with the people I loved, and immediately this sentiment of joy and gratitude descended over me.

I am humbled by the overwhelming love that God has built around me despite my many imperfections and sinful life. I may just have recognized much of this love only much later in my life. In fact, it is the grace of my illness that has taught me to recognize and savor this love, that during so many years my ego had opaqued, not allowing me to experience it fully. So, plenty to be thankful for today!

God has given me the most beautiful wife, who every day surprises me with her infinite, unconditional, untiring love. A wife who under any circumstance remains patient and selflessly devotes her life to me and her children. No wonder her name is Mariana nurturing her love and humility from our beloved Virgin Mary. Mariana, you have taught me loyalty, mercifulness, compassion and most importantly joy and faith. Your eyes are always full of joy and transparency, your heart irradiates pure love, not just for me and your children but for all of those around you, always.

God has also granted me the most beautiful children, Mateo, Lucas and Emma, each unique in his or her own way. You teach me every day a different view and way of life, to be playful, to be foolish, to be grateful, to be strong and determined. Your prayers give me courage and hope and your love fills my heart with joy and appreciation. I am proud of you and I am grateful to be able to grow along with you to become a better and more loving father, every day.

I am also grateful for my parents, my brothers and extended family. Here again, although not a millennial, I went my own way and it was only until much later, when I fell ill, which by the way also coincided with the last stage of the illness of my father, that I started developing a much closer and richer relationship with my family. At times, I questioned myself, why so late? But then realized, that the lost ground could be easily and rapidly made up, nothing to regret.

God has also given me and my family so many friends, many of you present today. When I pray the rosary and meditate the decade of The Kingdom of God, I have tried to create an image of such kingdom but struggled in picturing that kingdom. I would ask myself: would it look like a heavenly place full of light where joyful people gather around God, peacefully and harmoniously? Perhaps, I don’t know. But then, it came to me that there is no reason to search too far but to open my heart and my eyes: it is right here, in front of me, it is us, all united in prayer. This is my image of God’s Kingdom on earth. God is simple, tangible, accessible and He is here among us. This then led me to think about another way to picture our union and interdependence with God. I found the response in the scene of the scourging at the pillar. Here, I imagine the pillar being us holding together in arms and God chained around this human pillar. As he is scourged, he is protecting us and freeing us from suffering and pain. At the same, time he requires us to remain strong and united, so that he can sustain the pain and suffering from the horrorful scourging.

My thinking then evolved further. Although difficult to explain and as contradictory as it may sound, these past four years have been liberating and enriching. I would not want to reverse history, despite the sufferings, limitations, uncertainties. Yet, on the other hand, I have repeatedly asked myself, is this real? Can an illness truly provide me with the freedom that God envisioned for us if I no longer can do the many things I loved to do, no longer have the same mobility as I enjoyed before, no longer can make my own decisions without considering treatment and health limitations. Soon, I realized that I had misunderstood the concept of freedom. My freedom is not to make decisions that result in satisfying my ego or providing me with efimerous satisfaction. Freedom is not about me but freedom is about what I can do for others, or simply, loving others around me. My illness has granted me that unique and beautiful freedom. By surrendering to God’s will, to God’s mercy and love, I gained God’s freedom. Surrendering to God’s will is certainly not easy as it requires enormous humility. Letting go of control has possibly been, and still is, one of my greatest challenges. Yet, by surrendering to God I have been able to experience the freedom that I never had when healthy. Even more so, it is so much more enjoyable as God is in charge of my life, he takes care of all and I am only his faithful companion, to do His will.

For now he has asked me to faithfully and fervently pray for many in need, for those who are ill, for others who are in need of reconciliation and for those who have distanced themselves from or have not experienced God. What a more beautiful and special place to celebrate this mass, here in the luminous chapel of John Paul II. I tend to call them rather than luminous the miraculous mysteries. So, let’s continue to pray for that particular miracle that each of us is in need of.

May God bless you all.

Daniel

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  1. Hola acabo de enterarme me fue duro porque hace poco supe de su enfermedad pero se está en donde queremos estar todos cuando está vida pase y Dios lo tiene en sus brazos. Un gran abrazo Mariana y mucha fortaleza para ti y los niños Ginette Martín


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