We are SO excited you will be joining us for this special day celebrating the life of one of our favorite people, Thomas. He got sick with a very rare cancer a little over 3 years ago, and we got to take care of him and give him so much love and a million hugs. He also took care of us, and he snuggled us, told us stories and made us laugh, and loved us up during that time. He liked Spiderman, and he loved Marvel movies, doing 1000-piece puzzles, playing games of all kinds, and playing and watching basketball and soccer. He was really into math. And he is the only adult I know who loved ice cream and candy more than any kid I have ever met.
He had wonderful doctors who gave him a lot of different kinds of treatments to keep him with us as long as possible. But after a while, his body could not work anymore and we had to say goodbye to him.
He died on the 4th of July last summer, and we miss him very much every day. We cry a lot, but we also smile and laugh when we think about our special memories of him and all his corny jokes. One of the things that will help with our healing and grief is to gather with the people we love to celebrate ALL the beautiful and amazing ways Thomas changed our lives and our world, and how his spirit and work carry on into the future, through us.
Thomas was a dad to two kids – Izaac, who is now 19, and Akenna, who will soon turn 14 – and he was an uncle to Izaiah, age 19.
Children and young people were VERY important to Thomas. He was a person who worked to make sure that schools do not harm or hurt kids, and he believed that education (which is different from school) could be used to teach kids how to fight for a more fair, free, and beautiful world for everyone, and especially for Black people. So he would be sooo happy that children and young people will be with us for this special day. Our family wants you to come as you are, wear whatever you want, and be ready to play if you want to, dance if that’s your thing, eat some ice cream if you dig it, and run around with us on a summer day here in Detroit.
Sometimes people get nervous or anxious when they are in a new place with people they might not know, so here are 5 things to expect. Knowing what the day will be like might help you imagine it and feel more comfortable.
- There will be a memorial service that you may or may not attend. Your family will decide that. During that ceremony, people will tell stories and do readings and performances. It may be hot because it’s indoors and there is no air conditioning. If you get overwhelmed or need a break, there is a little courtyard outside that you can escape to! It is safe because it is fenced in and attached to the building.
- After that ceremony, we will head to the school our younger son goes to where there is a big field and lots of space to run around and play. We will have a DJ with music, lots of sports and games to play with other kids, and food. AND ICE CREAM! We are asking all kids and teens to make a special effort to take care of each other and help make everyone feel included and welcome, especially in games.
- For food, there will be a truck serving fried chicken and mac n cheese and stuff like that, and a tent serving tacos. There will be lots of choices you can pick from. There will also be an ice cream truck serving sweet treats! Besides ice cream they will serve smoothies, bubble tea, and milkshakes. Everything is peanut and tree nut-free so don’t be scared if you have a nut allergy.
- It might rain or be VERY hot outside. Please wear shoes and clothes that are comfortable if things get muddy or sweaty. We will be outside even if it’s raining! So let’s all be prepared.
- There are lots of fun things to do in Detroit, and we shared some suggestions with your family. We are absolutely in love with this very special city, and we hope you will love your time here as much as we love living here.
Below are some drawings Izaac made to help you imagine what the day might look like.
If you have any questions or worries, you can send me a note or ask your family to send me a note. They know how to reach us.
Love,
Thomas’s family
