Our beloved Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin has suffered a devastating loss. His son Tommy passed away Thursday at age 25.
In the family’s statement they shared:
With profound sorrow, Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) and Sarah Bloom Raskin today announced the loss of their son Thomas (Tommy) Bloom Raskin, 25, who was a second-year student at Harvard Law School and a graduate of Amherst College.
“Tommy was pure magic. His brilliance and compassion knew no bounds. He passionately loved his family, friends, and animals, and was devoted to the cause of the global poor. We are devastated and demolished to be without him.”
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said it well: “Like his mother and father, Tommy was dedicated to making our world a better place by lifting up the most vulnerable amongst us.” Montgomery County Councilmember Evan Glass wrote in a tweet, “This is absolutely heartbreaking … Tommy was a smart and caring young man who will be missed by all who knew him.” The outpouring of support and sympathy echoes those sentiments.
On January 2 the family launched the Tommy Raskin Memorial Fund for People and Animals. The Fund will distribute money on a semiannual basis to causes and charities championed and advanced by Tommy Raskin, such as Oxfam, Give Directly, the Helen Keller Institute, and Animal Outlook.
A "searing and loving" parental tribute to Tommy reported on by the Washington Post affirms the depth of Tommy's commitment to these causes as well as his values, accomplishments, joys, and struggles.
Congressman Raskin is a champion for much of our work and is dear to many in the Sierra Club Community. The Congressman’s website has more information on sending condolences and contributing to the Tommy Raskin Memorial Fund for People and Animals.