Help us bring him home

My family is facing an incredibly painful and unexpected loss as we prepare to say goodbye to my uncle, Thomas Tulotta.

Thomas was my father’s younger brother, and although we did not grow up knowing one another, he reached out to me about 12 years ago after discovering the existence of myself, my brother, and my little sister. Before then, we had never met, but over the years we built a connection through conversations about life, family, and the pieces of our shared history that had been missing for so long.

I am deeply grateful for the relationship we were able to build.

Recently, Thomas became seriously ill and was hospitalized in Florida due to a GI tract bleed and bronchitis. For a time, he seemed to be recovering, but his condition has now taken a devastating turn. After spending the last month on a ventilator, his lungs are failing, and today his life support will be removed.

I only learned of his illness within the last four days.

It is incredibly painful knowing that he spent his last birthday alone in the hospital, without family by his side, because we were never located in time. As his next of kin, I have now been left to navigate the overwhelming responsibility of his end-of-life arrangements from across the country.

This loss feels especially heavy because it is not just the loss of a family member—it is the loss of stories, history, and connection. There is something profoundly heartbreaking about grieving someone you spent so many years not knowing, only to realize how deeply they matter, and how much of your family’s story may now go with them. Thomas represented a vital piece of my family’s history, and losing him feels like losing answers I may never fully have.

I am currently working to determine the most affordable cremation options, transportation costs, and necessary arrangements to bring him home with dignity.

Any donation, no matter how small, will go directly toward cremation expenses, paperwork, and transporting his ashes home to family. If you are unable to donate, sharing this fundraiser would mean more than words can express.

Thank you for your kindness, compassion, and support during one of the hardest moments my family has faced.

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