Monday, July 13, 2026
Q: What will you never forget about Tom?
A: One of my favorite memories with Tom was when I was visiting for the summer holidays. It was a scorching, humid day, so Tyler, Alisha, and I decided to have a water gun fight. We filled buckets with water and left them on the front step so we could reload our water guns.
Barb called us kids inside for some iced tea and a snack, so we left our various-sized water guns in the bucket outside. While we were inside, Barb yelled out the window to Tom to come in for a snack too. He said he'd be in shortly.
After we finished eating, Tom still hadn't come inside, but we all assumed he was busy in the garage and would come in when he was ready. Once we were fueled up, we eagerly ran to the front door to grab our water guns, only to discover that two of them were missing.
Before we even had time to react, Tom came charging around the side of the house, armed with the two missing water guns. With such calculated precision, he attacked us like he was on a kamikaze mission to soak us all, laughing the entire time with the biggest smile on his face. Within seconds, all three of us were completely drenched.
Once we realized what had just happened, we were so surprised—and so happy—that Tom had decided to join in. We rushed back to the bucket, grabbed our water guns, and took off chasing him around the house. Our laughter echoed down the street and caught Barb's attention. She came outside to watch all the fun.
Tom spotted Barb standing on the patio and walked over, threatening to spray her. We kids stopped in the middle of our battle and watched in suspense to see if he was actually going to do it.
Barb laughed nervously and warned him, "I swear to God, Tom, don't you dare! I'm trying to do laundry."
Tom flashed a mischievous grin, waited until she turned her back, and then blasted her right between the shoulders with the water gun. She let out a scream as the cold water hit her.
The three of us burst into laughter. Tyler ran over to his mom and yelled, "Mom, catch!" as he tossed her his water gun to help her get revenge. Meanwhile, Alisha and I started chanting, "Fight! Fight! Fight!"
Barb caught the water gun, playfully glared at Tom, and while reloading it said, "I'm gonna soak your ass!"
We stood there laughing as we watched the epic water fight unfold between the two of them. They got so caught up in the battle that they even soaked the freshly hung sheets.
That day, Tom reminded all of us that age is just a number, and you're never too old to be silly, laugh, and make unforgettable memories with the people you love.
This is a memory I will cherish in my heart forever.
Rest in peace, Tom. You will be greatly missed.
