Philip served honorably for five years in the Army as a cryptologist, after attending West Point.  He earned his BA in English from Ole Miss and his MA in Screenwriting from Brooklyn College (Fierstein).  
 

Philip is survived by his beloved wife, Allison Gould, and his many friends. 

 

“Philip was pure light which was recognizable upon meeting him. He loved pigeons and there are hundreds of photos of them on his camera roll along with pictures of construction, mostly of the buildings around our apartment. He used to say that we were lucky to watch Brooklyn’s teeth come in.  
 

He loved Star Trek, and wore a Star Trek shirt to our first date “so I would know what I was getting myself into.” He wanted to learn to play the theramin. He and I ran the NYC marathon in 2019 and we were training for 2020. He loved Jurassic Park and Hamilton and I took him to see it on his birthday the first year we were together. I bought him a bike for his next birthday during quarantine and we rode to Central Park on his birthday. His favorite soda was Dr Pepper and he was so proud to have grown up in New Mexico and bought Hatch chili’s frequently. He was an incredible cook and once tweeted a picture of his beef Wellington to Gordon Ramsey after he had done his recipe and “whoever is running his Twitter” liked it and he was so psyched.  
 

He loved to watch Big Brother and Rick and Morty. He read every single plaque on everything wherever we went because he was so curious about everything. We used to do the crosswords together and he knew everything regarding history, science, and mostly just everything. His favorite holiday was July 4 and we always watched Independence Day. He was gentle and kind and thoughtful and he was so brilliant yet so incredibly humble.” – Allison Gould. 

 

"Philip Mercadante is a dear friend, whose bright light still shines down upon us all. His kind and gentle nature drew me in from our first zoom meeting and even though I wasn't blessed to meet him physically - the impact he leaves on my life is undeniable. Philip ~ as you look down upon us, may we continue to earn the gift of your invaluable friendship, of your unconditional love, of your genuinely, sweet smile. May you rest in peace among the stars you loved so much. I will not forget you.  With all my heart” – Kimberly Seilhamer (USMC/VME Leadership Fellow)

 

“Philip was a true delight.... always enthusiastic, a great storyteller and a great collaborator in my SVA class... he will be missed and remembered fondly by many.” – Jim Arnoff, Adjunct Faculty, School of Visual Arts 

 

“I recall Philip’s bright smile, and his infectious enthusiasm at our professional development events. He brought so much light to our community, and he left us far too soon. His light and love will never be diminished.” – Betty Diaz, Director of Programs and Operations, ViacomCBS Veterans Network