The phone call… THAT phone call. The phone call that shakes most people to the core. The phone call that unfortunately many of us have received. The phone call saying that someone close to you has passed away. This is exactly the phone call I received recently informing me that one of our technicians, part of our close-knit team, had passed away suddenly. The phone call saying Tom Daniels was gone.
Many thoughts flood your mind when something like this happens. It was a Friday morning I will never forget.
Tom worked for our company for 13 years before passing away suddenly at the age of 51. He left behind two sons, a brother, and parents who loved him dearly. Tom was a family man first and always spoke of his boys and parents as his priority in life. When you were around them, you could tell the love and respect they had for each other.
Tom implemented his passion and great attitude into our company and allowed it to spill into every customer interaction. He knew his job was to help our customers succeed and never let them down in any way. I remember one night he got an emergency call from one of our paper mill customers. There was a tornado warning at the time and one hit Macon, causing a lot of damage. The next day I asked who was on call. Tom said he drove through the storm, fixed the issue, and stayed at the mill the rest of the night. No big deal to him; he was just taking care of the customer.
Another time, Tom came to us and promoted another co-worker to a management position. Instead of telling us why he was qualified for the position, he said the other co-worker had more experience and should get the job. You may see that as a sign of weakness, but his integrity is a value we cherish in our company.
Tom had a passion for hunting. What I remember most on those hunting trips was how much he worried about you having a good time more than him. That was Tom, wanting to serve you and provide camaraderie and fellowship. His easy-going attitude most of the time was deceptive, as he could rise to any occasion that was called for with our customer.
I hope these stories help you understand who Tom was and what he meant to us. He was a dedicated family man, a loyal friend and co-worker, a man who had a passion for life. We will miss him greatly and next time you see one of our hats, shirts, or vans look for the Tom Daniels logo!
We will never forget his contributions to us, and may he rest in peace. God bless his family and all who knew him.
With all our love,
The Hays Service Family