Thomas Giberti Lewiston Me Mass Shooting Survivor
Donation protected
October 25th 2023 will always be a day remembered in my family for years to come. The day a loan gunman entered Sparetime recreation in Lewiston Maine and gunned down innocent people enjoying themselves with friends and family. My uncle Thomas Giberti, a past manager at sparetime, was watching the Wednesday night Youth Bowling League with Bob Violet, their coach and a long time friend. Tom needed a screw driver so he proceeded to head down between the lanes to the back. He opened the door and located one and as he went back thru the door he was greeted with bright flashes of light from the muzzle of a gun. Chaos erupted, shots continued to ring out. He noticed the kids who Bob Violet was instructing, frozen with fear and he sprang into action. He motioned for the kids to come to him and proceeded to get them out the back door to safety. As the last child was passing thru the door Tom was hit in the legs by gun fire. As he attempted to crawl from the doorway he was hit multiple times again in the legs. He was able to close the door and crawl to the back wall where he sat and with the help of another bowler apply tourniquets to both legs. At that time the police entered thru the back door and were able to get him out to an Ambulance that had just arrived. The quick thinking and actions of my uncle undoubtedly saved the lives of multiple children that day. He is a hero!!!! He doesn’t see it that way. He told me he just reacted. I said that’s what hero’s do Tom. They don’t run, they don’t sit and analyze what’s going on they spring into action and do what needs to be done, putting his own safety out of his mind he made a difference and because of those actions family’s are still whole. Unfortunately Tom’s long time friend and instructor for the children’s youth bowling program Bob Violet didn’t make it. I read somewhere that an eye whiteness saw Bob stand up and protect his wife Lucy as he was shot in the chest and died on location. Another true hero, unfortunately the round also struck Lucy and she passed later at the hospital. I wanted to tell my Uncle’s story and ask for your help with donations. Tom will need to go thru multiple surgeries on his legs, and extensive rehab for his injuries resulting in a large amount of medical bills and lost wages… Sparetime recreation lost 3 of its staff that day, and my uncle so not sure if or when they will be able to reopen, and I just can’t sit by and let my uncle struggle to make ends meet… he needs to be recognized and rewarded for his true act of bravery!!! So we ask you to please donate to this worthy cause ❤️ I love you Thomas Giberti, you have always been a hero in my eyes, now the rest of the world knows to…. ❤️
Go fund me created by Will Bourgault, Thomas nephew. Funds will be used for medical purposes and lost wages.
Go fund me created by Will Bourgault, Thomas nephew. Funds will be used for medical purposes and lost wages.
Organizer and beneficiary
Will Bourgault
Organizer
Auburn, ME
Thomas Giberti
Beneficiary
