Tommy in 2001.
A silly photo of Tommy in 2001.
Tommy with his mom, dad, and sisters on his sister's graduation day.
Tommy with his sisters in 2000.
A brief biography of Tommy from Mary Ashton.
Tommy's Prayer Card
Tommy's Prayer Card
Rockland County American Patriot Garden
Queen Elizabeth II September 11 Memorial Garden
Conseleya 9/11 Memorial
Dewitt 9/11 Memorial
Montclair State University 9/11 Memorial
East Newark 9/11 Memorial
Fair Haven 9/11 Memorial
Freehold Township 9/11 Living Memorial Tree Grove
Crescent Beach Park - Flagpole/Memorial for 9/11 Victims
Tommy Ashton was a life-long resident of Woodside, New York and a proud American. He was born on December 6, 1979. He grew up in the Big Six Towers, attended grammar school at St. Sebastian School and worshipped and received the sacraments at St. Sebastian Church.
As a youngster, Tommy enjoyed participating in sports, namely basketball, baseball and swimming. He strived to be the next Michael Jordan as basketball was quickly his first favorite sport. However, Tommy, the sports fan, truly loved rooting for the Mets, his favorite sports team. As he grew up, Tommy’s main sport became swimming. He excelled as both a competitive swimmer and as a team leader. Tommy was captain of the varsity swim team at Archbishop Molloy High School and the Flushing YMCA Flyers’ Swim Team.
Tommy was a unique and special person with a keen and insightful mind. He thoughtfully evaluated national and world events and he loved to debate his point of view. He loved God, his family, his friends and the many special people in his life. Tommy attended St. Francis College in Brooklyn for three years before leaving to accept a position as an electrician’s apprentice with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW Local 3). He began attending Empire State College on September 10, 2001 toward the completion of his degree. September 11, 2001 was Tommy’s second day at his new location in the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
Tommy had a good and accepting heart and a strong spirit. That spirit continues to surround those whose lives he touched, by giving us hope and by guiding us as we serve one another.
New York Times Portraits of Grief
It was home movies night on Monday, Sept. 10, at the Ashton household in Woodside, Queens. No one is quite sure why the family decided to break out the old videotapes after so many years. But there they sat, glued to the screen: Thomas; his sisters, Colleen and Mary; and their parents, John and Kathy Ashton.
There were a lot of laughs, especially at the scenes of Thomas, barely out of a diaper, whipping the Frisbee at his father with the precision of someone 10 times his age. Monday was also Thomas's first day at electrician's school, part of his apprenticeship with Local 3 in Manhattan. The second day on the job, Thomas, 21, was sent to the 95th floor of the north tower.
''We hope that wherever he is, he is able to have those memories from the home movies in his mind,'' Colleen Ashton said. ''It was special that we were able to share that time together.''
These profiles were written by Diane Cardwell, Glenn Collins, David W. Dunlap, Leslie Eaton, Robin Finn, Winnie Hu, Andrew Jacobs, Dean E. Murphy and Barbara Stewart.
Sorry for your loss I lost a
Sorry for your loss I lost a young family member to she was 11 and like thomas she was at the wrong place at the wrong time.So I understand how it feels to loss someone you love. I hope sum day no one will have to feel that way ever again.
Posted by T Toles
To Thomas' Family
Dear family,
You should not have lost your son, brother, and friend this way but I would like you to know that we still keep his name alive to this day and will continue to learn about others who were in this tragic incident.
Posted by AT
Add new Guest Book entry