Join us in honoring the lives and legacies of Gary McDaniel ('04) and Robert Milacci ('04).
Twenty-three years ago, in August 2002, Robb Milacci and Gary McDaniel entered the NYU Stern Business School for the first time to begin their MBA studies. Upon entering the classroom for Block Four, they happened to sit down next to each other and start talking. A lifelong friendship quickly began, but "lifelong” didn't last as long as it should have.
In the summer of 2008, on vacation with his family, Robb started to have blurry vision. Upon returning to New York and seeing his doctor, an aggressive brain tumor (glioblastoma) was found. Despite his fierce and determined battle, Robb died in February 2009, survived by his wife, Jennifer Milacci (MBA 2004), his daughter, Laurel, and his son, Robert.
A decade later, in the spring of 2018, while coaching his daughter’s soccer team, Gary started tripping. After a year and a half of seeing various doctors, he was diagnosed with ALS in February 2020. Sadly, ALS remains fatal for 100% of patients, and Gary McDaniel’s seven-year-long fight against Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) ended at his home in Maplewood, New Jersey, on Thursday, July 17, 2025. He was surrounded by his family, bringing to a close a life well lived. He is survived by his wife, Carla Labianca (Tisch 2001), his daughter, Charlotte, and his sons, George and Frederick.
The Gary McDaniel ('04) and Robert Milacci ('04) Memorial Scholarship honors their friendship, memorializes their impacts as husbands and fathers, and provides educational opportunities for the business leaders of tomorrow, ensuring that students who have lost a parent can reach their full potential.
