In
Loving Memory of my brother
Thomas N. Pecorelli
who was killled on
American Airlines Flight 11; Sept 11th, 2001
Please allow the music to load for The music you are hearing is my brother Tommy singing Brandy!!
The Door opened and there was no time for goodbye.
Life had ended and yet begun.
No more time for trivial things,
time and place were suddenly unimportant,
the date no longer mattered
but it was not the ending just the beginning of an eternity
of a faith and life beyond compare.
and I wondered why....
...I so worried about the open door.
 |
Click on Toms Picture to see the Beautiful Dedication made by Ron Keller
Tom was on American Flight #11, the
first plane to crash into one of the WTC towers on that most terrible of days,
11 September 2001.
From the time he was 12
years old, Tom worked at the local Newburyport cable company with videos.
He even had his own kid's video game show for a time. Tom took the camera out
more often than anyone else did, and as his class historian, he recorded many of
their NHS activities. His effort was tireless and done with competence and with
a keen eye. Tom had an engaging personality that spilled over into his
work and all that he did, and he made it fun.
From NHS, Tom went to
Northern Essex Community College, then to Westfield State. For his final
two years, he attended U Mass, Amherst, where he majored in
Communications. Pursuing his dream to work in television, he migrated to
Florida with one of his sisters and began his TV career with WEVU News, an ABC
affiliate in Fort Meyers. From there he went to Tucson, Arizona, where he
worked for another local station, and then in 1996 he went to LA to join the Fox
Network when it began in 1996. He was a sports cameraman who loved to act
and did walk-ons on a variety of Fox Network programs, TalkSoup and E!
included.
A great success, Tom loved what he did. It was always
just what he wanted to do. To complete the picture, he met and fell in
love with a beautiful woman, Kia. They married, and a number of his NHS
classmates attended that California beach wedding. Tom had come back East
for many of their weddings as well. On his last trip East, before that fateful
flight out of Boston's Logan airport, Tom had returned for a college friend's
wedding and to visit his family and friends.
He left behind a devastated
wife, pregnant with their first child, due in April, 2002, along with a grieving
family, including his mother, father and four older sisters plus nieces,
nephews, other family members, colleagues and friends.
Tom's story is the
story of the American Dream. He had a vision, a loving family, support
from his peer group, and he worked hard. His success was well earned and
he was highly respected by his colleagues at the Fox Network and in all the
places he worked. A loyal friend, he kept his boyhood friends while adding
others. Tom moved away and moved on, but he never left his Newburyport
roots.
A fund has been set up in Tom's name in order to give an annual
award, beginning in 2002, to a deserving boy and girl in each graduating class
at Newburyport High School. This award will recognize the contribution of each
student for his/her outstanding contribution in drama, music and the arts, where
Tom gave so willingly and excelled, often behind the scenes and often behind a
camera.
Your contributions, in memory of
Tom Pecorelli and all the heroes who died at the hands of terrorists on 11
September 2001, will be welcome. Please make checks payable to the
Thomas N. Pecorelli Awards Fund, held at the Newburyport Bank, and direct
contributions to the attention of Richard Eaton, President. (While at NHS,
Tom operated the camera for many sports events that Mr. Eaton
announced.)
Newburyport Bank locations and address are as
follows:
The Main Office: 63 State
Street, Newburyport, MA 01950.
The Storey Avenue Office:
21 Storey Avenue, Newburyport, MA 01950.
The
Salisbury Office: Crossroads Plaza, Salisbury, MA
01952.
The Newbury Office: 27 High Road, Newbury, MA
01951.
 |
Click on Tommys Photo with Dad to see the beautiful page Barry created
 |
 |
 |
Tommy's High School Photo 1988 |
Below are the Winners of The Thomas Pecorelli Memorial Scholarship!!
Friday May 24th,2002 the first two annual awards were given out to two High School Graduates, Congradulations to Todd Peterson and Caitlin Smith-Rapoport! Best of Luck in your future endeavors.Sunday June 8th, 2003 The awards were presented to Lily Plourde and Derek Barbara. Congradulations to you both and best wishes in your future endeveavors!!
Sunday June 6th, 2004 We were able to present a financial award
to Philip McGowan and Benjamin Chase. Congradulations to you both and best
wishes in your future endeveavors!!
Wed June 1st,2005
the financial scholarships were awarded to two wonderful students. Cameron Vokey
and Hilary Walentuk. Best of Luck to you both. Congradulations.
Thursday May 25th,2006
the financial scholarship was awarded to one student. Sergei Draleau.
Congradulations and Best of Luck to you.
Thursday May 26th, 2007 I was proud to presnt the scholarship award to John Pouliart. Best of Luck to you in your future.
Wednesday May 28th, 2008 I was proud to present this scholarship to two students who will continue in audio/visual. Sean Ceasar and Tim Seely. Good Luck to you both.
Thursday May 28th, 2009 I was so excited to give the first 1,000 scholarship to Sam Toolan. Sam will continue his education in the audio/visual field. Good Luck to you Sam in your new endevor.
Thursday May 27th, 2010 Joseph Kerry was the first one to recieve $2,000 to further his education at Emerson College. Joe we are so proud to give you this award. May you go far and all your dreams come true.
On Sunday June 23rd, 2002 "The Biker's for America - "Thomas
Pecorelli Memorial Fund" Run was a great success. The proceeds are going toward
the purchase the new addition at the Newburyport High School for the Audio/Video
Room where Tommy spent most of his time in High School. This will be a great
honor to have the room named after him. For all those that attended I would like
to personally Thank you..
Wednesday May 25th, 2011 I was proud to present a $1,000 scholarship to Emily Roscoe and Dylan Romani who will both pursue thier education in the audio visual/communications field. Best of Luck to you both.
|
The Day My
World Stopped Turning (A Tribute Poem) written by Angela |
Copyright © 2002, Angela (Pecorelli) Wadleigh; All Rights Reserved.
Updated on 05/27/11.
Any comments can be emailed to SurfngAngel@aol.com
