"Tom Turner was one of those people who could always make you smile. And he would do whatever he could to make sure that you did. Every time he saw you, his face would light up and he would say, "Heeeeeeey, what's up?!! How are you?" When he did that, it made me feel as though I was the most important person in the entire world. Tom had a way of making everyone feel that way. He was always complimenting people, especially when he knew they were insecure about something. And if you were having a bad day, there was no one better than Tom to cheer you up. Whenever I was stressed out or feeling down, Tom would always give me a huge hug and ask to hear all about it. He was always so worried about YOU. He wanted to make sure YOU were happy or that YOU were having a good day. When Tom asked, "How are you?" he didn't do it out of politeness, he asked because he cared and he really wanted to know. He spent so much time making sure everyone else was okay that I never thought to wonder if he was okay. And that makes me sad. It makes me sad because Tom was such an amazing friend and I don't know if he ever knew that. I don't know if he ever realized the impact he had on me and on those around him. I don't have a single bad memory of Tom. I can't think of one time that he was in a bad mood or he was mean to someone. I remember calling up his radio show and requesting "The Hanukkah Song" by Adam Sandler. He didn't have it on a CD, so he sang the whole entire thing for my roommate and I. And that is just the kind of person Tom was...fun, spontaneous, and good natured.
Tom was the biggest Beatles fan I have ever met and when I first told him I was going to study abroad in London this semester, he nearly leapt up and down and told me all about Abbey Road and how I had to go and how amazing it would be. He was the only person I knew who would blast The Beatles as loud as the stereo would go and rock out, never worrying about what anyone thought.
Tom was unique and that is what made him special. He wore flip flops all the time, even during the blizzard last year. Tom was always tons of fun and I remember him coming to morning swim practices to support the swim team, and throwing snow balls at us inside of the pool. Tom was always up for anything and always looking to have a good time. I only hope that somewhere, someway, somehow, Tom can know the positive impact he had on Goucher College and know that he will never be forgotten."
Dana Killebrew is a member of Goucher's Class of 2005.
2008 Woodie Awards
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