Ambassador Thomas Melady, who served as the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See during the administration of President George H. W. Bush sent the following message to the freinds and colleagues of Archbishop Sambi:
To the Family of Archbishop Sambi,
My wife Margaret and I just learned in Santa Cruz, Spain, about the passing of Archbishop Sambi. We extend our condolences to his family and his colleagues at the Embassy of the Holy See in Washington. I have been in regular contact with him since his arrival in Washington. He soon became a dear friend; he cared for people. He was a superb Nuncio of the Holy See. He also understood the pluralistic nature of US society. His passing is a loss to both the Holy See and the United States.
Warm best wishes,
Thomas Patrick Melady
Senior Diplomat in Residence, The Institute of World Politics
Former U.S. Ambassador to
Burundi, Uganda and the Holy See
President Emeritus
Sacred Heart University