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Elim Mourns Loss of Treasured Student

May 13, 2008

“I’ll Miss Your Smile At Recess”

Those simple words, written by a fellow Elim student and taken from a memorial poster dedicated to 20-year-old Tommy Finnegan, just touch the surface of
the many things that will be missed about beloved Elim family member Tommy Finnegan.

Tommy, a long-time student of Elim Christian School, was perhaps best known for his smile that could light up a room. Although Tommy was non-verbal, he
communicated with his family members and classmates through his eyes and bright smile. Amy Flynn, Tommy’s teacher, explains, “He had the best smile. When he smiled, it lit up his entire face. You saw it spread from his chin, to his cheeks, to his eyes. Everyone noticed and smiled when Tommy did.”

Tommy’s constant smile was a reflection of the positive spirit and determination with which Tommy lived his life. Always giving 100%, Tommy inspired so many. Bob Marsh attended Tommy’s jampacked funeral and was blown away by the number of lives impacted by Tommy. “Tommy, who in his entire life never uttered a single word, was used by God to change people’s lives for the better in ways that I could only hope to emulate,” Marsh said.

Despite frequent health struggles, Tommy lived his life to the fullest. Flynn explains, “Despite having a lot of hard days, Tommy was doing so well at school. He went through many surgeries but always had so much spirit and perseverence in him. He never gave up. He loved going on family vacations, being out and meeting new people. He had so many friends in our classroom who loved making him smile by talking about baseball and football. We all miss him – it’s so evident that Tommy’s joy and spirit are not in our classroom anymore.”

In his thirteen years as an Elim student, Tommy grew in so many ways. Not only was he loved in his home, but he was equally loved within Elim’s walls. “When Tommy passed away, we all lost a family member. Tommy’s niche in the world was at Elim. It was very evident that Tommy knew he was in a place he was loved and cherished as a human being. No one ever treated him any differently. He knew that everyone cared about him so much,” says
Flynn.

A memorial garden is being planted on Elim’s grounds in honor of Tommy and the impact of his life.