Tom_Simmons's Blog

Tom, your memories of your friendship, have touched my heart. Your friend sounds like such a beautiful soul, tears rolled from my eyes as I read this, this morning. Not tears of sadness, but of warmth and joy, that your were both fortunate to have had that time together.

Michelle

Tom...
your tribute with the scotch is exactly what I was talking about in Christina's blog about lost parents.....it's about getting in touch with, & perpetuating, that lost loved one's spirit! Over time, it should grow stronger & be nothing but a positive force in your life.
Believe it or not, I do the exact same thing with my fallen buddy from 9/11(except it's with a Miller High Life!). Point is...great job, & truly enjoy your JWR, later with Jerry!

Tom, you are such an amazing, loving person, with a big heart. I'm so glad I've met you, and have the priviledge to call you my friend. I'm sure Jerry felt the same way, and that he's smiling down on you today, and everyday...

I'm more of a Johnny Walker Blue girl...but "here's to Jerry!" May happy memories of your dear friend live on...

ps: Thank you so much for the call yesterday, Tom, you have no idea how much I appreciated hearing your voice, and your comforting words..

Love,
Candice

What's up Doc?

His spirit was already a positive force for me, and I'll explain. He went to the doctor for a tingling in his legs. The doctor wanted to admit him right away, but being a scheduled person, he wanted to go home and return next day, so the doctor ok'd it. He lived with his parents, and they left a key for me as they were sleeping. I went in the house, knocked on his bedroom door and got no response, so I called his name, and then went in. As soon as I walked in the room, I had a bad feeling, and knew something was wrong. I walked over and shook him, but I knew. Then I felt him, and he was cold, I called 911 and woke up the house.

Finding him like that really screwed up my head, and even though outwardly I seemed fine, inside I wasn't. I was driving a few days after the funeral, and started thinking why him and not me? What's the point of it all? I started looking for a tree to drive into when all of a sudden a calmness like nothing I've ever felt completely took over, and my thoughts changed from suicide to living. I had just started my own company, had quit smoking, and started going to the gym again, and all I could think of at that moment was, Jerry would want me to continue my life in a positive direction, and to go on with it, so you see Doc, I honestly believe his spirit came to me that moment, and was the positive force that drove out the negative one, and to this day, no matter what, I try to see the positive in everything.

Thanks for your positive thoughts Doc, and the JWR was excellent.

Have a great night Doc!

Tom

Hi David,

How have you been? It has been too long since blogging with you, but good to hear from you now. : ) I thank you for the comment, and Jerry does too, with a smile on his face, of course!

Have a great day David, and we'll blog later.

Tom

Hi Candi,

I am the privileged one, or should I say priviledged. : ) I'm playing with you dear friend. You have to laugh once in awhile right? : ) It's like the putts, putz thing. OK, back to seriousness here, I truly am the privileged one to know you and call you my friend, and, I have nothing on you in the big beautiful heart department sweet lady, but I do thank you all the same. I am also happy I know all these other wonderful people on these blog pages, you are all great! Jerry would have loved this as he was a very sociable guy and was able to talk a lot! : )

Thank you for toasting Jerry from both of us, and you and I will have to drink some Johnny Blue together sometime.

You are more than welcome as always Candi for the phone call. It was the least I could do, and it was great for me to hear your voice too. I promise I will call more often from now on. : )

Have a wonderful day Candi!

Tom

Hi Kathy,

You slipped in while I was writing. It has been way too long, and that is my fault as I don't comment enough sometimes, not that I havn't meant to, and I have kept up reading your posts. I just havn't had time sometimes, but that is a bad excuse, and I must try to do better, as you are one of my favorites on these blog pages. Anyway, thank you also for your feelings for me. The pain of the loss isn't so bad anymore as it was 5 years ago, and now it is more about the memories than anything else, and yes, he has been smiling down on me, but more importantly, where he is now, he can walk.

Have a wonderful day Kathy!

Tom

Hi Daniel,

Yeah, he appreciated my friendship, but he still called me a "Putts". : ) Really though, I'm also sorry you didn't get to know him, because, as I said, he was amazing, and was one of those rare people who could make anyone smile. As for kindness, you are so right, we should all be more kind, more caring, and more giving to one another. I truly believe this with all my heart, and I think that if it is possible to help another person, we should do so, without hesitation, and I have tried to live my life in this way. I believe we are here to help others, not ourselves. I know there are times when you need to look out for yourself, but for the most part, I believe in selflessness.

Have a great day Daniel!

Tom

Tom, great story. I work in a special ed school and see a lot of kids with problems. Does put life in perspective and when I complain I know I should not do that. Very good story.

Good Morning Shaun :)

All I did was write about my friendship and love for someone I miss very much, but I am happy that I touched so many, including you. I should be thanking you however for your feeling and insight. You are obviuosly a very kind and wonderful lady, and now I know why I like you. : ), and one thing about me is that I mean what I say, and what I write. You are right that I'm blessed, blessed to have known Jerry, blessed to know you and everyone here, and blessed most of all to have been able to bring a smile to your face. I thank you for telling me this because it makes me happy to do that. To me, a smile is a wonderful gift, whether you give or receive. : )

By the way, you forgot the smile you usually write after your name : ), but I won't. : )

Have a wonderful day, and all the smiles in this comment are for you Shaun!

Tom : )

Hi Jerseyboy,

Thank you for your comment, and good for you for having perspective. What do you do in the school? Do you work with the kids? Whatever you do there, at least you have a job which helps special people in some way. I'll tell you a quick story here. I know a special kid, I still call him a kid because I've known him since high school, anyway, his name is Jimmy and he's like a savant with birth dates. If you tell him your birth day and year, he will never forget, it's amazing. He loves music and pretty women, who doesn't : ), but because he loves music, I used to take him into the city to Tower Records once in awhile, and he was like a kid in a candy store. It was fun to watch the smile on his face as he went down the aisle deciding what to buy. : ) On our way back to Jersey, we'd always stop for lunch at a diner, and I would listen to him talk about old British bands, or his latest crush. I don't see him as much now, but his mom has a birthday party for him every year in December, and I always try to stop by, if only for awhile. It's great, because he is so personable, and so many people know him, as is the case with small towns, that there are always a lot of people from our old town that stop in as well. I've always admired those who give of themselves and their time, and at times I feel I havn't given enough of my time to help people, but when I look back, I guess taking Jimmy and Jerry out was giving my time and myself to them, even though I had just as much fun as they did.

Have a great day Jerseyboy!

Tom

-Candy

Dear Tom you dont know me , but i read your blog and it brought tears to my eyes .Bringing your friend down to the beach was an act of love and that love surrounded Jerry when the hand of God came and took him home.You and everyone that new jerry are all blessed to spread his love and story forever.

Tom, how nice!