Jaimito Cartero

Tom always had great posts and pictures. I haven’t seen much from him lately, but recall some of his Olympic swimming threads from years ago.

He will certainly be missed! Going in your sleep is how I want to go, too.

Jailer

In the grim light of this sad news it is comforting to reflect how Tom retired early to pursue passions of travel and photography, and many of us were delighted to get "heading to" emails that kicked off a trip often juxtaposing a bus ride or BART to a SFO lounge. Filled with details of what food, hotels, electronics and local travel cost, sometimes an off-hand comment or odd picture about his wanderings would produce a brief spate of emails and down the rabbit hole we'd go on all kinds of topics. Tom was more than insightful, he had more than a gifted eye, he was a consummate gentleman and it's bittersweet to embrace that he enjoyed +/- a decade of post-employment, almost as if he had some presentiment that his life would be cut so short. He started out on a shoestring and unless my memory fails his was the only trip report that I read on FT that included a youth hostel reached via first class. He once stated that the money he thought he'd be going through as he traveled only increased in retirement as all the while Tom was clearly enjoying himself immensely...and us along for the ride.

And he walked and walked vast distances navigating across cities ferreting out interesting stores and places to stop for a beer or an ice cream or pastry. That he was so fit hits me particularly hard as we are of an age.

And thanks to Tom's two degrees of separation we celebrated with Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin, daughter of great friends of Tom.

That Tom had friends and acquaintances almost everywhere is an understatement and if he couldn't find somebody companionable to have a beer with I'm guessing that the town didn't have a bar. Also an understatement, Tom will be greatly missed by those he touched virtually and/or in person. I wish you could send us pictures, Tom, from where you are and describe to us the Ambrosia and sweet nectar you are enjoying with those who arrived before you.

FriendlySkies

So sorry to see the news. I enjoyed reading Tom’s posts over the years and was hoping to meet him at a DO. RIP

FlyinHawaiian

Truly heartbreaking and a huge loss. Tom911 was really one of the best of us; a well-traveled and friendly person who was always willing to help others out and freely share. It was my honor to have known him and will miss running into him in random corners of the world.

dinoscool3

This is incredibly saddening to hear. He will be missed

goalie

Stunned and heartbroken over this news

Rest In Paradise my friend

Zecher Tzadik Livracha-May The Memory Of The Righteous Be For Blessing

Mrp Alert

Sad news. Condolences to his family.

SkiAdcock

Hi, it's me SkiAdcock. I'm having a really hard time dealing with tom911's sudden death. We've known each other for 18 years, first as virtual FT friends (hey, doesn't that sound familiar everyone?! ) & then over the years we became really good buddies in real life. Tom & I would talk at least 3 times a week & email almost daily. I counted him as one of my dearest friends. I literally just talked to him a few days ago. I emailed him & didn't hear back, which I thought was strange. So I called last night & got voice mail. Thought he was out to dinner. Then my cell rang & I saw it was Tom & I said Hi Tom. A female voice said this is Mary, his sister. Tom is dead. I was stunned, shocked, how could he be. I just talked to him not that long ago. He just sent me a picture from his 5-mile walk (lordy, lordy, that man could walk!). She said he went in his sleep. Natalie's father, Jim (Tom's best friend) also grew concerned when Tom didn't respond to calls/texts/emails & went to his house & found him.

dhammer & others, I will talk to his sister again either later today or tomorrow. When I spoke with her it had all just happened, so no info on funeral arrangements, where to send cards, etc. I'll get that info & post. I had Mary's permission to post on FT that Tom had died, and sandiego1k was kind enough to do so because I basically lost it yesterday after hearing the news.

As you all know Tom was a great guy & always willing to help others, whether it be w/ travel info or other items (the saga of my Android phone is a classic). His trip reports with pictures were great/so detailed that you literally felt you were there with him. As jailer said I'm so glad Tom retired early & was able to travel as much as he did, both in the US & around the world. When I spoke with him earlier this week he had just booked 5 flights in February to get started on renewing his status and we chatted a week or so ago about him attending OzFest '22 if things were a tad more normal. And as mentioned by others, when I first met him he would stay at youth hostels while the rest of us scattered to our various hotel chains. But then he came to the dark side & started staying at chain hotels, getting mid or top tier status, and the rest, as they say, is history.

My first encounter with Tom was many years ago. I was flying to San Francisco area to attend a wedding, but also visiting friends in the area & had gotten a rental car. Color me surprised/panicked when I realized I had left my driver's license at home. Pre 9/11 I was still able to get through airport security w/o a DL but no way I could rent a car w/o one. I posted on FT CommunityBuzz asking if there was anyone in the area who had suggestions on how I could get to where I needed to be. tom911 saw my post & said I live about an hour away. If you can wait I can drive to the airport, pick you up & then drive you the 45 minutes to your destination. This, from someone I'd never met, but who exemplified what being a FTer is all about. As it turned out I was able to reach a relative so Tom didn't have to do all the driving, but I appreciated his willingness to do so. And a friendship was born....

tom911 attended many Dos around the world. Here's a pic of him at one of the LondonDos I organized.



RIP my dear friend. You will be so very missed.

Eastbay1K

Wow. This is news I certainly didn't expect to wake up to. Such a nice guy. Although we live about a half hour apart from each other, the last time (in true FT fashion) we saw each other in person was for lunch in NYC at the beginning of what was turning into one of NYC's most historical blizzards. We met up in Chinatown at my proposed choice of restaurant, only to find it was shutting down early, and found another open place. During lunch, everyone's cellphones simultaneously went off with the emergency "every vehicle off the road by 2:30 pm" edict. I have spoken of that day since, and now it holds an even more special memory. A really good guy. RIP

l etoile

I’m saddened to read this. One of my first thoughts like that of some of his dear friends above: I am so happy Tom retired to spend his time traveling. I received his emailed trip reports and I don’t think more than a few days ever went by without him getting on a plane.

He was a good guy. I’d sometimes ride BART with him part way home from Flyertalk gatherings and enjoyed the opportunity to chat.

He was a dear friend to the-late ldsant and one of the last times I saw Tom was at dinner with the two of them - can’t remember where - maybe Seattle.

Will miss his calm, unflappable manner and tales of his travels.

Condolences to you Sharon as you were so close and to his family.

GUWonder

Heartfelt condolences to his dear family and friends.

While we had seen each other in a couple of lounges and on one flight, I really only knew him from his contributions to FT and what his FT friends thought of him.

In all our exchanges in OMNI and elsewhere on FT, beside being the only real FT connoisseur when it came to staying in hostels around the world back in the day, I will remember him as he was a class act always in how he interacted with all people on FT.

CDG1

FT'er Tom R.I.P.
may you travel to peaceful horizons

ralfkrippner

R.I.P. Tom. We'll meet again in that great first class lounge way up there some time... Ralf

airoli

Sad news indeed - Tom was a regular at the early FT Dos I attended, and we always connected over our shared interest in travel and swimming. He was a good man.
R.I.P.

SS255

SkiAdcock was kind enough to put me in direct touch with Tom a few years ago, when she realized that we would have a 1-night overlapping stay at the Grand Hyatt Taipei. My parents arrived the day before I did, so I put them together, and he was able to join us for the evening eats and drinks, and for breakfast the morning after I arrived. I have fond memories of the encounter, and privileged that I got to know this Flyertalk legend “in the wild.” RIP, Tom. Wishing you the heavenly equivalent of top tier status and plentiful upgrades.