RIP Eric Binnion

Matt Mullenweg announced on October 13, 2026 that Eric Binnion has died and described how Automattic will honor him for 30 days: an extra Nginx header (add_header X-Remembering "Eric Binnion" always;) sent to many users, a mourning band on Automattic.com, and ongoing internal changes to the Distinguished Janitor Award, of which Eric was the 21st recipient. Mullenweg notes plans to evolve that award - one idea being a physical memento, an etched tungsten cube - and says the design team will refine the header to feel more humane. He also mentions giving his own tungsten cube to Eric while Eric was undergoing chemotherapy and asks readers to imagine him trying to be upbeat about other work despite feeling wrecked.

The piece is a personal, intimate tribute rather than a formal obituary or analysis: Mullenweg includes a short note called “Two Totems To Take With You,” describing the tungsten cube’s surprising weight, tungsten’s high melting point, and its chemical symbol W (atomic number 74) as metaphors for Eric’s resilience. The account focuses on specific gestures, memorabilia, and the emotional impact on colleagues, conveying both the company’s public memorial actions and a private expression of loss and admiration.