Thomas Ernest Vasquez

Perseverance was a word that I heard my Brother Tommy say many times. Perseverance means not giving up. It means keep doing it till the end, even if it's hard. My Brother did persevere. He did this as a child growing up. He did this as a paratrooper in the 82nd and101st Army Airborne Unit while in Vietnam. He very rarely told people that he served his country because back then, he would have been harassed instead of being appreciated. He persevered when he couldn’t find a decent job after serving his country for 10 years. He persevered when he lost his leg. He said; I only have myself to blame. Tommy had a good heart and if he could help you he would. He was always the first to ask you if you needed anything. He wasn’t the type of person to show his emotions and would rarely hug or kiss anyone. When he would come home on leave and I would open the door and there he was standing tall looking down at me. I would hug him because I was so happy he was home and he would just stand there. It never bothered me that he didn’t hug back because I knew how he was. But, in our last days together he did kiss and hug me. I will always have that special memory. As a child growing up, I can honestly tell you that my Brother treated me like a special little sister not the brat that I was. One of my memories of Tommy is the time we lived off of 59th Avenue and Buckeye and I was about six years old. There was a nice clean canal in front of our farm house and the water was so clear you could see the fish. Of course our mom would always tell us not to be swimming in the canal because naturally she would worry that one of us would drown. As you know how hot it is here in Phoenix, it was always so tempting to dive into it. One day I found Tommy in the canal and I said; I’m telling mom and he said no don’t tell, come help me get out! So, I walked over to him and reached for his hand knowing in the back of my mind that he was going to pull me in and he did. I don’t remember if we got in trouble that day but I remember how great the water felt. If we did get in trouble, it was worth it. I also remember one year when I was about 12, Tommy gave me a record player for Christmas. That was the best present I had ever received for Christmas. When I last visited Tommy, he asked me; why are you so good to me and I replied; because you were good to me when I was a child and I never forgot that. Tommy deserved more than he got in life but I know that my Brother is now walking tall again. Not only with Jesus but with his Momma that he cared for so much. He treated his Momma like a son should treat his mother, with so much love and respect. Before losing his leg he would always travel to Phoenix so he could place flowers on her grave every mother’s day. When he could no longer walk, I believe that was the one thing that really hurt the most. But my dear sweet Brother, you are with your Momma now so I know you’re in peace and that gives me peace. I really hope I did well in paying tribute to my Brother and I know his spirit is embracing me with love at this moment. Thank you Tommy for teaching me how to persevere.

The “Other Side”

I’m over on the other side, where life and death softly divide

I left my skin and bones behind

Now I’m over on the other side.

Can you feel me there with you?

My breath is gone, but I’m not through

I loved you then and I still do.

From over on the other side

“I can fly, really fly”

Below the earth all through the sky

Tell them all I did not die

I’m just over on the other side.

It’s good here on the other side

The sweetest songs, the bluest skies

Thank you for the tears you cry

But it’s good here on the other side.

“I can fly, really fly”

Below the earth all through the sky

Tell them all I did not die

I’m just over the other side.

The world is smaller than a needle’s eye

Where life and death softly divide

When you leave your skin and bones behind

I’ll be “waiting on the other side”