Tommy John Alferi

Thomas John Alferi was born April 2nd, 1986. He was an energetic, sweet, and charismatic child. He loved playing sports, any sport, and excelled in baseball and basketball. When Tom was eight, he was joined by his little sister, Anna, who he took under his wing. As a brother, he taught her what he knew about sports, friendship, family, and life. You could often find them in the living room playing Super Mario, or in the backyard, where Tommy would practice WWE moves with her. Tom’s adolescent years were spent playing sports with his friends, learning various instruments to start the next best boy band, weekends at the Recreational park in Colchester, CT, and school days laughing with classmates. 

When Tom was 14-years-old he was diagnosed with three autoimmune deficiencies: Autoimmune Hepatitis, Sclerosing Cholangitis, and Ulcerative Colitis. With these diagnoses came handfuls of medication to help regulate the organs in his body which he took each day before, during, and after school or practices.  At this point, he was a sophomore at Bacon Academy in Colchester, CT, and was a Varsity starter on both the Basketball and Baseball teams. Although doctors urged Tom to find alternatives to contact sports, his passion for the game was unstoppable. His sophomore year, in the Eastern Connecticut Conference, he was awarded first team all-conference and second team all-area for baseball. His junior year he earned the award for first team all-conference and second team all-area for baseball, again, and also first team all-conference for basketball. Tom’s motivation and will to overcome his illnesses was mirrored in his relentless drive on the field and court. 

Not only was Tom driven on the field and court, but tirelessly worked in various jobs, ranging from a daycare center to a local bagel shop. Tom graduated from Bacon Academy in Colchester, CT in 2004, and went on to study business at Suffolk University in Boston. He then transferred to University of Connecticut, graduating with a Bachelor’s in Business with a Major in Organizational Management. Tom’s love of sports continued in his professional life, as he attended MLB Professional Umpire School, where he graduated at the top of his class. He returned home to Connecticut to then meet the love of his life, Rebecca Alferi, in 2008, and they were married May 30th, 2010. Together, they continued to raise Rebecca’s son, Donovan, and on February 9th, 2011 Leah, their daughter, was welcomed into the world. All the while, Tom was attending his doctor’s appointments for bloodwork, tests, and medication checks.

In true Tommy John fashion, he pushed the envelope by returning back to school, and in 2011 graduated with his MBA from University of Connecticut while working for United Technologies Corporation. He was a father, husband, son, brother, nephew, grandchild, athlete, businessman, sports-enthusiast, kind-hearted, belly laughing, light-spirited, and amazing all around guy. Before the age of thirty, he accomplished building a career, creating a family, buying and maintaining property, and working diligently to provide for those he loved. 

In the summer of 2016, Tommy John began to turn yellow (jaundice set in), and his liver began to show signs of sickness, again. Doctors diagnosed him with various illnesses, and eventually they realized they would have to perform a splenectomy to remove his spleen. Tom, the doctors, and his family believed this would save his life, but upon the removal of the spleen, the truth was discovered. In November 2016, Thomas John Alferi was diagnosed with Hepatosplenic T-Cell Lymphoma. The original plan was to complete five chemo treatments and receive a stem cell transplant, all from his 100% bone marrow-matched sister. Tom underwent two chemo treatments before the cancer had overcome him and his body was too weak to continue.

On the night of Friday, January 13th, 2017, Tommy John took his last breaths at Hartford Hospital, surrounded by his wife, sister, parents, children, aunts, uncles, and closest friends. His passion for life and love lives on within his two children, Leah and Donovan, and is maintained and nurtured by his wife Rebecca. The Tommy John Annual Golf Tournament provides an opportunity for those who wish to carry on his legacy to gather around, play, laugh, and swap Tommy John stories. Not only does this event raise money for his children, but proceeds are also donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of CT to further research and clinical trials to one day eradicate cancer. In the days before Tom’s last breath, he asked his best friend, Zac Stennett, to create the event and maintain it for his family, and that is exactly what Zac did.

Here’s to years and decades of golfing, playing, laughing, and remembering Tommy John Alferi! Cheers, or in Tommy’s words “clincky”!