Every once in a while, folks pass in and out of your life and make an impact so profound that it surprises you. Tom Doyle is one of those people.
I knew Tom many years ago and lost touch, but he called me in the spring and told me that he had followed my writing career and wanted to nominate me for Woman of the Year. I thought he was kidding at first. But he wasn’t. Tom went on to say that I had set an example for other women by surviving single parenthood and building a career along the way. While I don’t consider anything I have done exemplary, I do consider Tom exemplary. He founded the Aquatic Hall of Fame in Erie and has been a dedicated fan of swimmers and athletes for most of his life. That’s just a sampling. He took time to make people like me feel grateful and recognized for things that seemed ordinary.
Pat Cuneo told me that Tom isn’t well right now, so if you get a chance to give Tom and his family a shout, do it now.
Thank you, Tom from the bottom of my heart.