Tom is an energetic, outgoing 84 year old gentleman from Norwich, CT. His Wish of a Lifetime was to ride in a fighter jet and accomplish a goal he never thought was possible.
Tom served in the Korean War and was Captain of the Norwich Volunteer Fire Department until he had to retire after a severe fire left him with a hearing impairment. It was when Tom was stationed in Korea in 1951 that his fascination with fighter jets came about. He always admired the pilots and the jets and it has been his dream ever since his time abroad “…to ride in a fighter jet before I leave this earth.” Tom has spent his life giving back to the community through his Sandwich Making Foundation that goes towards the Volunteer Fire Department and the Cancer Society.
Wish of a Lifetime made Tom’s Wish a reality by sending him to Montgomery, NY on August 5, 2012 where he went on a fighter jet ride and actually got to fly the jet for a portion of the flight! With his close friends and family by his side, this was a day Tom will never forget. He was co-pilot to Dan Filer, Lt. Commander US Navy, and said that it was a “dream come true!”
