BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) - A beloved member of the John Carroll Catholic High School family was honored Friday night at the homecoming game with the dedication of the traditional lighting of the cauldron in his honor.
Tom Marks, called ‘Papa Tom’ by students and staff, died unexpectedly in September. He was an alum of the school from 1960, and for the last five years, served there as a maintenance man.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please turn your attention to the north end zone, as tonight we honor 1960 John Carroll graduate Papa Tom Marks.”
The legacy of "Papa Tom" shines bright on John Carroll, his seat in the cafeteria lovingly memorialized for students and staff.
"He would love this if he was here, he would be so proud," Papa Tom's daughter Kristi Bradford said. "He’s a graduate of John Carroll and just loves the school, loves the students and loves the teachers. So, this light for him is perfect.”
Papa Tom was seen as more than just a custodian at John Carroll, but a mentor and advisor by many students over the years.
"After I had struggled on one of my tests, he saw me in the hallway and he pulled me aside and he prayed with me, and that’s stuck with me forever," John Carroll senior Juliana Rickman said. "He’s a busy man, he took the time to stand with me and be with me and hold me in his prayers.”
"Eventually, the relationship became like a grandfather. You know, I grew up without one, and so, like, he was very close to me,” John Carroll senior Nicholas Shunnarah said.
Many who loved Papa Tom say he would go above and beyond to help everyone whose path crossed his, and his memory will live on through little reminders every day.
"Every morning, he would come in early, and he would, I would come down the hall and my classroom door would be open and unlocked," Sr. Mary Patrick Connor, OP said. "I remember the first morning after he died, I came in and was like ‘oh, my door is not unlocked.’ And so, every morning when I come in and my door is closed, I pray for him.”
Papa Tom’s family says to see the outpouring of love for him from John Carroll has helped them navigate the sorrow around his death.
"With him being our dad, he was special and unique and a fantastic father, but I don’t think we realized in his own way he was doing these little things just naturally for students and for teachers and other people around him," Bradford said. "Things that will take them farther in life and won’t be forgotten.”
It’s evident from the love shown Friday night that Papa Tom will be missed for years to come.