It is with great sadness MODERN SALON reports the passing of Coty Professional Beauty Vice President of Education Fabio Sementilli, who died suddenly and tragically Monday evening January 23, 2017, at his Woodland Hills home. His death leaves a devastated family in Los Angeles and Toronto and thousands of bereft professional brothers and sisters all over the world. Arrests have been made.

A champion competitor, the Canadian-born Semintelli has used his success to give back. He was the heart behind Wella’s Hairdressers at Heart program and, as reported in MODERN in 2012, “Humor, gratitude and paying it forward guide Fabio Sementilli’s approach to life and work.”

Sementilli, who was 49 years old at the time of his death, mentored tens of thousands of hairdressers with a hands-on approach either on a one-to-one basis or on a grander scale. Among his mentors was his sister Mirella Rota Sementilli, who he once told MODERN was "the best hairdresser in the world."

Sementilli was continuously available to share advice and direction to the thousands of salon professionals he touched on a daily basis. He was always there with a thought or quote to just simplify matters. His favorite quote was his own: “Being a leader is not about age; instead, it’s all about attitude toward others.” 

Some of our favorite Sementilli quotes that we've gathered over the years:

ON HAPPINESS: “To be truly happy, you must be ready to give 100% and expect nothing in return.”

ON LEADERSHIP: "Leadership is not about a title. It's about attitude…the right attitude."

ON ATTITUDE: "You must have a positive attitude. Surround yourself with people who add to your life who are positive and have a great attitude.”

ON INTEGRITY: “You need to make sure you have integrity. Make sure it’s with your clients, friends and co-workers.

ON MENTORSHIP: “There are so many great hairdressers out there, and the best way to be successful is to give it away and pass on to the next generation.”

ON VISION: “It's more than just having an idea. It's not enough. It's taking that vision and making it come to life...following through."

PAYING IT FORWARD: "The next level of greatness is about being a human. We are all in the same business - we must pay it forward."

There are very few details available at this point, but we will continue to update this report. We ask you to share your thoughts and memories of Fabio Sementilli. He was a special person in our industry.

In this video interview, Sementilli shares his thoughts on attitude and integrity with Maggie Mulhern:

MODERN offered Sementilli the opportunity to interview HIS hero, sister Mirella Rota Sementilli:

Sementilli and Maggie Mulhern at the Jeremy Scott show during NYFW: