- G
*UPDATE*
Tim is free now.
He passed in the comfort of his childhood home this afternoon, March 1st. In these past few weeks, he was constantly surrounded by the love of his family and friends; with their visits, their embraces, their words, calls, texts, letters and gifts.
As painful as it is to make this all the more real by writing it, there is some sense of relief for me in knowing that he is no longer in pain, and, knowing him, that he is no longer feeling the need to apologize for "being a burden" to any of us. To the very last day I saw him, he was still thinking more of others than himself.
Tim was anything but a burden. He lived by a code of service and support one rarely finds so profoundly in an individual.
Among his many interests were two things: learning, and wrestling. He was Captain of the Waterford High School Wrestling Team, and went on to coach for them after a diploma kept him from getting in the ring himself. This was no mean feat; Coach Gamble has always demanded excellence both in performance and in character of his wrestlers, on and off the mats. That Tim was offered a position as Coach goes to show how consummately he lived up to those standards.
We met and exceeded the goal for having a stone bench engraved and installed at Waterford Beach in short time. Why stop there? He wouldn't have. In the upcoming weeks, perhaps months, we will be working out the details of creating a scholarship in Tim's name for a WHS wrestler seeking higher education. I cannot think of anything more befitting Tim.
To those of you who have already donated, we thank you sincerely. To those who have not yet, we encourage you to make whatever contribution with which you are comfortable. This will ensure that his legacy lives on with the strength, persistence, and generosity that so defined Tim as a man, a role model, and a friend.
With a heavy - but grateful - heart,
Spencer
=Previous Statements=
Dear Friends,
We are asking you to join us in honoring Timothy Bonavita, one of the kindest souls this Earth has ever been graced with. For the past several years Tim has been afflicted with a series of health issues that began with Hantavirus and continued into what is now terminal cancer. It would be impossible to convey all the goodness in Tim’s personality and actions with any one material object, but we’ve thought of something that speaks true to it.
When Tim was in high school, he took up lifeguarding at Waterford Beach Park. He spent his summers sitting up high on a white tower watching over us as we dove in and out of the waves, rescue buoy at the ready, super-human smile shining bright. As with any endeavor he made, he handled his job seriously - but left plenty of room for good humor.
As Tim and his family take the next weeks to rest and be together, we are enacting this fund to provide Tim his eternal seat at Waterford Beach: a stone bench engraved with his name. A place where he may be remembered by all of us, always.
No amount is too small.
Thank you for your support and generosity,
Friends of Tim
*UPDATE*
We have exceeded our goal!!
I have created a couple updates but I will elaborate here for all of us as well:
We set a goal of 3k to cover the cost of a granite park bench, custom engraving and the shipping of the bench and placement at the park. This was based on an estimated cost from the Town Secretary.
In less than 24 hours this Gofundme was flooded with an outpouring of support and love from Friends of Tim around the country. With the excess funds (those above the cost of granite bench etc) I (Lena) will hand deliver a check to Tim and his family to put towards a cause, fund or scholarship of their choosing.
Again Thank you everyone for banding together to help honor our friend. He's truly a beautiful person and we are all holding Him and His family in our hearts.
With love,
Friends of Tim
Tim is free now.
He passed in the comfort of his childhood home this afternoon, March 1st. In these past few weeks, he was constantly surrounded by the love of his family and friends; with their visits, their embraces, their words, calls, texts, letters and gifts.
As painful as it is to make this all the more real by writing it, there is some sense of relief for me in knowing that he is no longer in pain, and, knowing him, that he is no longer feeling the need to apologize for "being a burden" to any of us. To the very last day I saw him, he was still thinking more of others than himself.
Tim was anything but a burden. He lived by a code of service and support one rarely finds so profoundly in an individual.
Among his many interests were two things: learning, and wrestling. He was Captain of the Waterford High School Wrestling Team, and went on to coach for them after a diploma kept him from getting in the ring himself. This was no mean feat; Coach Gamble has always demanded excellence both in performance and in character of his wrestlers, on and off the mats. That Tim was offered a position as Coach goes to show how consummately he lived up to those standards.
We met and exceeded the goal for having a stone bench engraved and installed at Waterford Beach in short time. Why stop there? He wouldn't have. In the upcoming weeks, perhaps months, we will be working out the details of creating a scholarship in Tim's name for a WHS wrestler seeking higher education. I cannot think of anything more befitting Tim.
To those of you who have already donated, we thank you sincerely. To those who have not yet, we encourage you to make whatever contribution with which you are comfortable. This will ensure that his legacy lives on with the strength, persistence, and generosity that so defined Tim as a man, a role model, and a friend.
With a heavy - but grateful - heart,
Spencer
=Previous Statements=
Dear Friends,
We are asking you to join us in honoring Timothy Bonavita, one of the kindest souls this Earth has ever been graced with. For the past several years Tim has been afflicted with a series of health issues that began with Hantavirus and continued into what is now terminal cancer. It would be impossible to convey all the goodness in Tim’s personality and actions with any one material object, but we’ve thought of something that speaks true to it.
When Tim was in high school, he took up lifeguarding at Waterford Beach Park. He spent his summers sitting up high on a white tower watching over us as we dove in and out of the waves, rescue buoy at the ready, super-human smile shining bright. As with any endeavor he made, he handled his job seriously - but left plenty of room for good humor.
As Tim and his family take the next weeks to rest and be together, we are enacting this fund to provide Tim his eternal seat at Waterford Beach: a stone bench engraved with his name. A place where he may be remembered by all of us, always.
No amount is too small.
Thank you for your support and generosity,
Friends of Tim
*UPDATE*
We have exceeded our goal!!
I have created a couple updates but I will elaborate here for all of us as well:
We set a goal of 3k to cover the cost of a granite park bench, custom engraving and the shipping of the bench and placement at the park. This was based on an estimated cost from the Town Secretary.
In less than 24 hours this Gofundme was flooded with an outpouring of support and love from Friends of Tim around the country. With the excess funds (those above the cost of granite bench etc) I (Lena) will hand deliver a check to Tim and his family to put towards a cause, fund or scholarship of their choosing.
Again Thank you everyone for banding together to help honor our friend. He's truly a beautiful person and we are all holding Him and His family in our hearts.
With love,
Friends of Tim