David Branco Silva, 38, of Fall River, passed away November 27th, at his home in Los Angeles, after a long battle with brain cancer. Beloved husband of Jennifer Green, he was born in Fall River, son of Claudio and Phyllis (Branco) Silva. Dave graduated from Bishop Connolly High School and went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and political science from Yale, a Master of Philosophy degree from the University of London, an MBA from Oxford as a Marshall Scholar, and a law degree from Stanford. He took great pride in his work as general counsel with Caruso Affiliated and had previously practiced law at the New York firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. David was a truly remarkable man by any measure, who will be remembered for his intellect, loyalty, strength of character, and humor. Besides his loving wife and parents, he is survived by his sister, Christene Silva, and several aunts, uncles and cousins. His wonderful spirit, joy, and talents will be missed. His Funeral Mass was celebrated on Tuesday, December 10, in St. Anthony of Padua Church followed by his committal at St. Patrick Cemetery. If you wish to make a memorial donation, please consider the American Brain Tumor Foundation (866) 659-1030 (www.abta.org)

Eulogy (given by Rick Caruso)
On behalf of the entire Caruso Affiliated family, I am saddened yet honored to pay tribute to the life and the memory of David Silva. While moments like these weigh heavily on our hearts, I can assure you that the hearts of his many colleagues and friends go out to his wife, Jennifer, his mother, father, sister and the members of the Silva family. The fact that so many of you have come today to pay your respects and say your good-byes speaks volumes about how well-respected and how well-loved David was. It's never easy to condense the entire journey of a life into a few brief moments. For a man as intelligent, accomplished, and beloved as David, such a task would be impossible. While I can give you a glimpse of his impact on our company, I can never convey the full picture of what he meant to me as a friend and to all of us as a person. Maybe the best way to paint a picture of David's life is to begin with how our lives intersected, and how that meeting changed both of us for the better. In 2007, after many years of using outside lawyers, I had decided to hire a general counsel for our company. The day after I made that decision, someone handed me a resume. At first, I barely glanced at it, setting it aside to review it later. But then, as I was getting in my car, I noticed David's resume sitting on top of a stack of papers. So, I took a second to scan it. For those of you who know David's work experience and his academic credentials, you can guess my immediate reaction. David earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy and political science from Yale. He got a master's degree in philosophy from the University of London. He then went on to receive an M.B.A. from Oxford, and a law degree from Stanford. He not only attended the finest educational institutions in the world, he always finished at the very top of his class.
His resume wasn't impressive. It was amazing! It seemed less like a work history than a work of fiction. It was almost too good to be true. In our search for a general counsel, we had a headhunter involved. But I was so amazed with David's background that I immediately picked up the phone and called him at the office. He was surprised because he couldn't believe that I would just call him directly. He responded with something that I'll never forget. David said, "My father told me that it has very little to do with what's on paper. It's all about how you perform." And I can assure you that David not only listened to that wise advice…he lived it. As the conversation ended, I invited him to Los Angeles, so I could meet him and have lunch with him. I asked him when he could come out. He said, "I'll be there tomorrow." He caught a red-eye flight to Los Angeles, and the next thing I know we're having lunch. And, as we all know, David was even more impressive in person than he was on paper. So, I hired him right there on the spot. Looking back, that was one of the best decisions I've ever made. He came to our company at just the right moment, and I truly believe that he was heaven sent. When David arrived at our company, it was a pivotal moment for the entire organization. We were trying to get the approvals to build a very large project, The Americana at Brand, but there was a competing mall that was challenging and trying to stop our project. I had made the decision to file a lawsuit against the mall company for interference. When we headed to court, David was masterful. He was intelligent, articulate, and completely unflappable. Our trial lawyer described him as my personal Secret Service presidential protective detail except brilliant and with foresight and a sense of humor. He saw every problem as a challenge, and every challenge as an opportunity. I can honestly say that if it weren't for David, we would have never won that trial. If not for his efforts, our company would not be in the position that it is today. Throughout his tenure at Caruso Affiliated, he did a wonderful job of managing our legal team and the company's legal affairs. ut his many professional accomplishments are matched only by the wonderful personal qualities that enhanced his life and enriched ours. He possessed a rare and restless intellect, and he was brimming with new and innovative ideas. He was so full of life, and full of energy. He was tremendously competitive, and yet completely collaborative. He was incredibly brilliant, and yet astonishingly humble. With his mind and his talents he could have done anything, and yet he was fiercely loyal to the people he worked for and with. And even though he was small in stature, his personality and his presence completely filled the entire room. He was a giant of a man. In addition to that, he was just a fun guy, but very practical. When I think about David today, I feel like laughing and crying at the same time. And that's because his life was almost like a Shakespearean tragedy. He had this beautiful mind, this incredible intellect, and yet it was his greatest strength that would be the source of his ultimate weakness. All of us were shocked and saddened when we first learned he had brain cancer. It seemed unimaginable and even unfair. You never want to see someone that you care so deeply about face such a difficult struggle. But David met his greatest challenge with courage and a strength that was truly inspiring. For nearly four years, he defied the odds and fought the good fight. He went through multiple brain operations and always returned to work with the same intellect and energy. When his illness finally forced him to work from home, he was always there with us in spirit. We kept his office just the way he left it, and he did something that symbolized his faith in the future. David left a pair of shoes sitting under his desk. That may seem a little unusual, but it was his sign that one day he would come back and join us at the office. Unfortunately, that day never came. But I can assure you that we will never be able to fill his shoes. David was one of a kind, and he was one of us. And we will always be grateful that the rich and rewarding life that he led enriched the lives of all of the people around him. One of the people whose life he enhanced was that of his lovely wife, Jennifer. I truly believe that in the midst of our most difficult struggles, we are given the gift of people who can help bear our burden and lighten our load. David and I would talk about religion. He was not necessarily a religious man, but he knew God gave him an angel from heaven. For David, his gift from God came in the form of a woman with an angelic nature, who was truly an angel in his life. She lifted his spirit, and touched his heart, and traveled to the end of the journey right by his side. Jennifer, you were there when he needed you the most, and I know he was deeply moved by the love and compassion that you shared with him. He told me often, how much he loved you. As all of you know, David never gave up the fight until the very end. I think it's fitting that he finished the final leg of his race on Thanksgiving morning. For the rest of my life, on that day, I will always think of David. And when I do, I will always be thankful for the time I spent with him and the great times I had with him. While we must say our goodbyes to David, we will never forget the impact and the influence he had on all of us personally. I want you to know what a privilege and a pleasure it was to work alongside David, and to share this wonderful journey with him. It was an honor to know and work with him. I have never seen anyone who had a cleaner sense of mission. I can assure you that he will be greatly missed. But we are so grateful that we did not miss out on the opportunity to know the man with the brilliant mind and the humble spirit. David was more than a great employee, or a great colleague, or a great friend. He was truly a great man and gentleman. To his parents, I have met many great people in my life but you raised one of the finest men I have ever met. He was a loving and grateful son, loyal husband and irreplaceable friend, And he will live forever in the hearts and the memories of all who knew him and loved him. He is now at peace and at home with God. Heaven is now a better place.