Daniel (originally ’87) died Aug. 3, 2011, in Montevideo, Uruguay.
He was born in 1964 in Alexandria, Va., to a Foreign Service family, spending his childhood in Munich, Curacao, Paris, Saigon, and Bangkok. He spent several months in a Thai Buddhist monastery after high school. In 1993, he earned a master’s degree in East Asian languages from UC Berkeley. He worked in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Japan, China, Canada, Brazil, and Washington, D.C.
Daniel felt at home anywhere in the world. He had a gift for languages and connected effortlessly with others. He cherished friendships, maintaining them for years over long distances. He loved Sarah Vaughan, Byzantine icons, and sardonic humor. He was an accomplished figure skater. He never tired of exploring the world and every possibility in it.
Daniel was unforgettable: eccentric, charismatic, unique, ageless, kind, unpredictable, creative, generous, and beautiful. He was unconventional and encouraged others to question authority. He had a dark streak, the result of an untreated depression that contributed to his death.
He is survived by his mother, Arlene Bruno; sisters Dominique Level and Francesca Lahiguera; his father, Charles; brother Andres; and his nieces and nephew, Camille, Anna, and Martin. Condolences may be sent to Francesca (francesca@lahiguera.com).