A community’s heart
A crowd of what looked to be over 500 people filled and spilled out of Dublin Elementary School’s Multipurpose Room this evening in a memorial service for Tom Cunningham, a head janitor there who was murdered in front of his daughter in Hayward last week. I knew Tom and have met his daughter, and I wrote a bit about him earlier.
The only thing that I want to say tonight is that it was heartwarming to see the outpouring of support that the community of Dublin is providing to Tom’s family, which was present. There were talks by school administrators, teachers, students, union leaders, and friends, and a DVD of snapshots in Tom’s life. There was also an outpouring of financial support, mostly for the education of his daughter. There were camera crews from what looked to be at least three television stations present. All honored the request not to photograph the minors, including Tom’s daughter, who participated in the memorial service. (Note added December 3, 2009: From newscasts tonight – some minors may have been photographed with parental/guardian permission (at least I HOPE it was with permission). Mercifully, I did not see photos of Tom’s daughter, who is both a minor and an eyewitness in a murder investigation.
The community of Dublin has pulled together to celebrate the life of one of its own and to protect and provide for the family.
In 21st-century California, it reminded me of an earlier time and a smaller place.
I was genuinely moved.
-Bill at Cheshire Cat Photo™
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