A dear friend is and will be missed.

Life isn't fair. I know that. It hurts each time I am confronted with that reality. This afternoon I received a delightful adjustment, had a theraputic chat and shared a hug with my chiropractor. I was invigorated. I looked at my phone to find a voicemail from a neighbor asking me to call her. I immediately thought it might be an issue regarding my unit. Unfortunately it was not.

Her boyfriend, my dear friend and neighbor Tom, was killed Tuesday night. I tremble writing this. He was dog-sitting in Del Mar. He took the dog for a walk and was hit by a train. It is impossible to rationalize. He most likely felt he had cleared the tracks but did not take into account the 4 foot overhang that a train has past the tracks. The dog was fine. CPR was performed on him immediately but he died at the scene.

Tom was an amazing man. He was my neighbor and friend. I looked up to him. He was one of those people you looked forward to seeing on the streets and didn't mind spending 30 minutes out of your busy schedule to chat with. He made friends with everyone he met. He took care of everyone's pets when they were out of town. He took care of my dear Lola when I was away and when I worked late. He had a key to my home and I felt comfortable sending him in not only to care for my dog but to borrow random things when I wasn't home. He knew everyone. You couldn't have a conversation on the street with him without 2 or 3 people stopping to say hello. He never forgot a name. He built community. He loved connecting people. He was goofy, opinionated and fun. He went the extra mile to help wherever he could. He recently became my condo's landscaper. He had not yet been paid. He lived in the complex and did the work to help out. He wanted to make our home beautiful. He loved animals. He knew all of the neighborhood dogs by name. He had a special bond with animals and went out of his way to care for them. He died doing what he loved: taking care of a beautiful and kind dog. Knowing that his friends trusted him and asked him to fly to California repeatedly to care for their dog only shows how trusting and compassionate he was. I met him through Lola. Like many, he saw the bity bundle in my arms and came over to say hello. I am a first time pet owner and he was always there to talk with me about questions and concerns. When Lola heard Tom's voice from across the street she would run to see him. Often times, if we were in safe distance I would have to let the leash go since she would pull so hard to see him. She loved him and he always snuck a kiss from her when we'd walk by. He adored his girlfriend. He talked about how amazing she is any chance he could. He was happy. He enjoyed life. He enjoyed his surroundings and did what he could to make them better for those around him. I still can't believe he is gone.