We heard the sad and shocking news that Gino Trunzo died of a heart attack yesterday while vacationing in Mexico. The immediate outpouring of love has been unprecedented, with posts on his Instagram page and on Facebook.

Trunzo made a name for himself in the nail world as both a manicurist and essie’s Assistant Vice President . Earlier this year he was named assistant vice president of business development for Redken and Pureology and immediately wowed the industry with his creative and energetic ideas.

 Trunzo was loved by everyone who was lucky enough to know him. Here we are sharing just some of our thoughts:

“Gino was such a light in the industry. He would often come to our team’s presentations when we’d speak at industry events—he’d sit near the front and ask thoughtful questions. You couldn’t miss him—his height, combined with his impeccable wardrobe, always put him front and center. When he was with Essie a few years ago, he came to our Chicago offices to demo a major launch—not only did he give me the best long-wear manicure I ever had, he accidentally knocked over a bottle of blue polish on my desk. We both had a great sense of humor about it and it became our long-running running inside joke, that he ‘destroyed’ my new desk. It was only recently that I removed the spilled polish from my desk—I wish it was still there. I will miss seeing his smiling, encouraging face.” – Alison Alhamed, MODERN SALON Editor in Chief

 “Gino was truly magical and a great friend. It was always a highlight to be in his presence. He was the first to say yes to participating and clearly one of my favorite people in the industry. He will be missed." - Maggie Mulhern, MODERN SALON Beauty and Fashion Director

"I first met Gino Trunzo on the set of a cover shoot. He was the nail artist on set that day, tasked with perfecting the tips of four models for what would be a visually stunning, futuristic shoot with Guido. As I approached the table where he was working on a model, he looked up and flashed a giant, inviting smile. When Gino smiled, he smiled with his whole heart. And you would feel it. I was immediately struck by his bright, sparkling eyes. It was that movie star-twinkle, but in real life, and I would tell him without fail every single time I saw him. We bonded over our childhood stories of growing up in the Boros, and our mutual, next level Yorkie love―he was the proud pet parent to his furbabies Monti and Lily, and I to Mimi and Mister Pookie.

"To this very moment, the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Gino are those sparkling eyes of his. His eyes communicated the kindness, positivity and goodness he embodied and practiced in his daily life, and throughout his career. Gino worked to build up and elevate not only those around him, but the beauty community as a whole. His generosity of spirit, tremendous talent, inspiring motivation, and empowering support were unmatched, and his special brand of magic is unlikely to be seen again. I feel beyond blessed and utterly fortunate to have been in his light." - Maureen Sheen, Salon Centric

“Gino’s charisma, pride and passion for his business was apparent in everything that he did. Gino’s enthusiasm was infectious. He was well respected and loved by his colleagues at L’Oreal and within the professional industry. Gino will certainly be missed by all who knew him.” - Leslie Marino, General Manager of Redken US

“Gino was committed to elevating the business acumen and the artistry of the professional nail industry.  He believed in the essie brand deeply and used it as the anchor of his message. But it was his passion and devotion to the details of this vision that was irresistible.” - Teresa Lopez, General Manager, Mizani