I first met Tom at Dan and Heather's wedding where he was the best man. I had heard of Tom's many accomplishments prior to meeting him but Tom and his family were living in Australia so this was the first opportunity I had to meet him. He was so kind and friendly and I enjoyed hearing stories of his Ironman races and training regimes. From that moment on, Tom was an inspiration to me. Whenever I experienced some difficulty in a running race, or a mini-triathlon, I would think of Tom and how hard he had to work to even compete in an Ironman. I would remember the stories about his training regime (how Tom and Kim would spend hours together on their stationary bikes while watching movies) and that would help me get through my race. I always thought that if Tom can complete an Ironman with brain cancer, I can complete this tiny little race! He was a great man and will be greatly missed by his wonderfully supportive family. I felt honored to know him.

PJ McLeod