
The memorial for Tom Zbyszewski, who died at age 20 fighting the Twisp River Fire, drew 1,000 people to Liberty Bell High School in the Methow Valley to honor his memory and celebrate his life. Friends, relatives and teachers remembered Tom as a thinker and a leader who had great empathy for others at the Sept. 6, 2015 memorial. He loved learning, acting, making people laugh – and firefighting. “He always lifted people up,” a close friend told the gathering.
Tom and two other firefighters with the U.S. Forest Service died Aug. 19 just hours after the fire erupted; another firefighter was severely burned, and three others suffered less-serious burns.
For more information on the death of the three firefighters, see our earlier article, Forest Service releases information about firefighter deaths.
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Tom’s parents, Richard and Jennifer Zbyszewski, said the massive support they have received has helped them as they grieve. Before Tom was born, Jennifer said she had imagined all the things she would teach him, but said it was Tom who taught them, through his embrace of life and respect for everyone he encountered. “Be kind and be happy. Try new things and don’t gossip. And truly value everyone you meet, especially those you think are on the fringe of society,” she said, summing up her son’s outlook on life.

Nick Saunders, a lifelong friend of Tom’s, described their conversations about physics and fluid mechanics when they worked as lifeguards at the Twisp pool. “Tom’s sense of humor is as memorable as his intelligence,” he said, recalling how even a quick glance from Tom could trigger convulsions of laughter.