Why she’s called Nadia.

I knew Nadia Barghelame when I was a teenager in northern Colorado. I didn’t know her for long, but she was one of those people who left an impression on just about everyone she met.

The name was the first thing I noticed. It wasn’t one you heard every day, and once you heard it you remembered it. Then you met her. She had a huge smile and she was genuinely glad to see you. She was fun to be around and none of it was an act. Even if you only talked to her for a couple of minutes, you walked away feeling better than when you showed up.

She played tennis at University High and goofed around with her friends like any other kid. What she really loved was flying. Her dad bought her a plane, a Cessna Golden Eagle, and she was working on her commercial license. From everything I know, she was happiest in the air. On December 17, 2004, she was killed in a plane crash near Centennial Airport. She was 20 years old. More than twenty years later it still doesn’t make any sense to me.

When I started building this, I knew what I wanted it to be. Something that shows up for people, treats them kindly, and doesn’t give up on them after the second text. I looked at a bunch of names and they all felt like they came off a list. Her name came to mind, and it fit what I was going for. I wanted the name to actually mean something.

So I named her Nadia. The software isn’t her, and I’m not trying to tell her whole story here. I just wanted her name on something that tries to make people feel welcome and keeps showing up for them, because that’s the impression she left on people.

If you knew her, I’m glad you found this page. If you didn’t, now you know a little about who she was and why her name is on this.

For Nadia E. Barghelame · 1984–2004
— Adam