Sergeant Tommy’s Kids introduces children of military and first responders to the outdoors

By Maureen Callahan

Local heroes are a defining part of the fabric of a hometown. For Downers Grove, a great measure of this respect will always belong to Sergeant Thomas “Tommy” Gilbert, United States Marine Corps (USMC).

Sergeant Thomas “Tommy” Gilbert, United States Marine Corps

Tommy grew up in Downers Grove, where he attended Lester, Herrick, and Downers Grove North schools, from which he graduated in 2000. He was the only son of Michael and Terry Gilbert and the younger brother of Tammy DeStefano and Trisha Pelhank.

Every life has a destiny. Tommy was lucky enough to have found his at a very early age. There was nothing in which he took greater pride than being a Marine. From the time he was a child, he knew he wanted to serve his country like his grandfather, Jack Gilbert. Jack, also a marine, was stationed in China during WWII.

Tommy and his four best buddies were known as the heart of their Marine Corps unit. Their commanding officer dubbed them the “Fab Five.” The five had done a tour together in Djibouti for Operation Enduring Freedom in 2004. Since the group had already served one tour, they had the ability to pass on a second tour, this time to Iraq. After some discussion, however, the Fab Five unanimously decided to go.

On the night of October 25, 2006, their unit got a call informing them there were eight Marines pinned down by gunfire. The Marine who was on duty as the first responder – the one who goes out if the unit gets a call – was a father of twin toddlers. Although it was not Tommy’s turn to act as the first responder that evening, he told his comrade he was going in his place. “‘You have little kids at home,’” he reasoned with his friend, Tommy’s brother-in-law Brad Pelhank, relayed. Tommy wasn’t going to take ‘no’ for an answer.

Tommy and two others jumped into the Humvee. A recent rainstorm had washed away any evidence of a triple stack of IEDs (improvised explosive devices) buried in the sand. As soon as they rolled over it, a huge explosion ensued. Only the gunner, who was thrown from the vehicle, survived.

Tommy’s funeral procession was one of the biggest Downers Grove had ever seen. As it traveled to Lincolnwood Military Cemetery near Joliet, the procession of cars spanned simultaneously from I-355 to I-55 to I-80.

A few years after Tommy’s death, one of the eight Marines in distress the night Tommy died came to meet Mike Gilbert. He wanted to assure him his son’s death had not been in vain. The same massive explosion that had killed Tommy had rocked everything nearby, including the insurgents who had the Marines at gunpoint. They fled because of the blast, therefore inadvertently freeing the cornered soldiers.

“Family Fishing Day is our way of keeping Tommy’s spirit rippling through the universe.” – Brad Pelhank, brother-in-law of Sergeant Thomas Gilbert, USMC

Immediately following Tommy’s death, the family contemplated how they could keep this avid outdoorsman’s spirit alive. Thus, the beginning of Sgt. Tommy’s Kids – a 501 (C) 3 organization dedicated to introducing kids, regardless of socioeconomic status, to the outdoors.

“Although Tommy never had any kids of his own, he loved them,” said Brad. “Wherever he was deployed, he made an effort to get to know the local kids. He played soccer with them whenever possible. He knew the way people in war-torn areas of the world saw the US could be changed through the eyes of their children.”

They decided to hold an instructional fishing event for kids of deployed soldiers. Over the years, the invitation was extended to include kids with military connections. These days, any children aged 3-15 of first responders are welcome to register.

About 150 kids came out on the first Family Fishing Day in 2007. The largest group they’ve ever had was in 2019 when 400 kids showed up to fish. “COVID slowed us down a little bit,” said Brad, “and in 2020, when we couldn’t gather, we delivered the fishing poles and tackle boxes to kids’ doors. We’re glad to say our numbers are back up again.”

Family Fishing Day is always the second Sunday in June at Herrick Lake in Wheaton, where Tommy first learned to fish. He and his grandfather, George Cooper, spent many sunny afternoons on the bank of the lake, making memories as they waited for the fish to bite.

The three-hour event begins around 8.30 a.m. with the national anthem. The kids are then channeled through three stations. At the first station, volunteers from the Illinois Smallmouth Bass Alliance teach the group to cast. The next station has volunteers showing the kids how to properly bait their hooks. They also get some pointers on technique. A third stop has the kids get creative with crafts.

Each participant is given a fishing pole, tackle box, and a souvenir – completely free of charge – to take home. Last year, they got blankets to sit on while they fished. This year, they will leave with new hats. Sgt. Tommy’s Kids works with Zebco to buy the equipment at half off the sticker price.

Lunch is provided free of charge as well. Volunteer grill masters cook up hundreds of hot dogs. The kids are welcome to snack on freshly popped popcorn while they fish, and snow cones round out the carnival/picnic feel of this event.

On their registration forms, kids are always asked if they have any fishing experience. “We get a very good mix of boys and girls,” said Brad. “About half have never fished before. We love being their introduction to fishing and sometimes the outdoors in general.” Tommy’s family and friends volunteer at the event. Everyone enjoys helping participants cultivate a love for the outdoors.

Some kids come every year. One has come every year he has been eligible. “We have had some that started as tiny little kids who are now adults,” said Brad. “They tell us how much they love fishing because of Tommy.”

All in all, the event usually costs about $17,000 to fund. An annual golf outing each September raises the money needed to cover the expenses of the fishing event. Additional funds raised have been offered to other organizations that promote the outdoors, such as the donation of fishing poles and snowshoes to Horizons for Youth, a group focused on getting inner-city kids outdoors. A few years ago, Sgt. Tommy’s Kids covered the cost of transportation for an outdoor education trip for a school in Elgin. The expense would have been difficult for the families to shoulder. “We’re happy to help in other ways to get kids exposed to the outdoors,” said Brad.

For those who knew him best, Sgt. Tommy’s Kids keeps Tommy close. “Family Fishing Day is our way to keep his spirit rippling through the universe,” said Brad.

The third stanza of The Marines’ Hymn reminds us, “If the Army and the Navy ever look on Heaven’s scenes, they will find the streets are guarded by United States Marines.” Although Sergeant Tommy Gilbert has reported for duty, he will never be far away.

For information on Sgt. Tommy’s Kids, please visit: SGTTommysKids.org