A tribute to the late TC Coveleski
With the Feb. 1 one-year anniversary of the death of our friend and Rehoboth Beach Patrol lifesaving buddy, Tommy "TC" Coveleski, I wanted to share what is probably the last photo of TC taken at the beach (Aug. 2015). Woody Marderwald and I managed to get Tommy down there several times that summer and Dave Lynam kindly extended free chairs and umbrellas when TC did come. We were together on Chesapeake Street, which was the closest beach to TC's home.
One thing we tried to do was help Tommy enter the ocean so he could at least feel the water again. He wanted badly to do that. But, because of a permanent IV in one of his arms which couldn't get wet, and because the tide would start coming in and/or the water was rough, we were unable to accomplish that mission.
We were still able to have some decent time, sitting in the sea breeze for several hours at a visit, and talking. Tommy loved it. For 16 hours out of the day, he had to be on an IV which provided his nourishment. He had lost his stomach to cancer but managed to teach an entire year without a stomach! And he managed to run some races in that condition. Talk about a superman! And a super modest one at that. He had been an outstanding athlete, coach, and teacher, as well as the RBP's longest-serving chief and longest-serving guard. He was afraid of nothing, and was the rare kind of model who the entire world could emulate.
What I am glad for is that, before he died, Tommy got to see the beautiful plaque, designed for him by Dave and Susan Frederick, which was mounted on the RBP headquarters last summer. It is right next to the one we had put up for his father, the legendary Frank Coveleski about 20 years ago. At the plaque ceremony last summer, a number of us were dismayed that no recognition was rendered to Tommy's memory by the RBP, its lieutenants, its captain, or the mayor - who were all on the RBP premises - when the plaque was formally dedicated. Again, that for the RBP's longest-serving chief, longest-serving member, and with a perfect safety record.
My own experience and development deepen everyday my conviction that our moral progress may be measured by the degree in which we sympathize with individual suffering and individual joy.
Tommy never thought about himself but sympathized with everyone he met; no one was alien to him. What he imparted to the many who were lucky enough to know him will be imparted to others in turn and will be immortal.
