Tom McCann

Yesterday, I ribbed my friend, Tom McCann, about a plumbing project that went a muck. He had tightened a bolt on a toilet (of all things) too tight which caused the base to crack. I added my two cents by informing him that porcelain isn't very flexible. Other friends joined in on the ball-busting session via Tom's Facebook post.

This morning, I was shocked to see people posting condolences on Tom's Facebook page. I didn't quite comprehend it at first. I thought that maybe it was just someone's idea of a twisted joke. Sadly, it wasn't....

I was officially informed a short time later that Tom had suffered a heart attack and passed away last night. It's roughly 12 hours later and I'm still trying to absorb it.

I first met Tom in the halls of Cardinal Gibbons High School back in the early 80's. He was always a quirky guy, but very likable. We developed a friendship that lasted for over thirty years. We kept in contact through emails and with spontaneous phone calls. Tom would sometimes call me and lay out his dilemma du jour. Whether it was a problem with his computer or a personal issue, I would listen and try to give him whatever advice I could. We would always end the conversation on an upbeat note.

Years ago, when I played in band, Tom would occasionally join in on our jam sessions. Many of you might not know that Tom was a singer. Well, sort of......You see, what Tom lacked in vocal talent, he more than made up with stage presence. Using a baseball analogy, there are pitchers and there are throwers. When it came to singing, Tom was definitely a thrower. But oozing with confidence, he certainly didn't let it discourage him. Literally bouncing off the walls in his signature camouflage t-shirt, Tom would enunciate the lyrics to a Judas Priest tune like a Starbucks poet. It wasn't always pretty but it was definitely entertaining.

More recently, Tom would occasionally trek over to my house in Pasadena to join us for a Raven's game. He would always worry about getting back to south Baltimore in time to get a parking place. I would try to persuade him to move to the suburbs where we basked in the glory of off-street parking. But Tom would just shake his head and affectionately flip me off.

Tom would sometimes tag me in a Facebook post and encourage me to elaborate. Of course, they were often politically charged stories, so I knew I was walking into a hornet's nest. Although I would sometimes scratch my head and try to figure it out what he was dragging me into,  I was always grateful that he thought so much of my opinion.

Tom served his country in the United States Navy. He was so proud of his military service. But nothing made him more proud than his son, Matthew. My heart goes out to Matt and the entire McCann family during this difficult time.

It's sad to think that I'll never again get to trade stories with my friend. But I'm grateful for the times we had.

Tom, no doubt, you were a unique individual. But more importantly, you were a good man and I will truly miss you....

kw