Those who spoke admired the young man’s ability to “embody every side of an argument,” his desire “to fix the wrongs in the world,” his “willingness to help” and his ability to consider everyone, regardless of their views, “a very fine sentient being.” One friend relished how Tommy Raskin “believed in me.” A teacher noted, “Tommy was not interested in winning an argument,” but rather preferred hearing all points of views. We will look after each other, and we will take strong action to make the world a gentler place, a better place. “He was literally too good for a world this broken,” Raskin said, and then urged everyone to “Look after each other. He has lost his sense of happily ever after. Often fighting back tears, Raskin said he never again will believe that everything will get better in the end. The Congressman praised his son, calling him an “independent thinker” from a very young age who always displayed “dazzling courage and poise.” He made sure his entire class was invited to his fourth birthday party, changed his lunch partners regularly at Eastern Middle School in Silver School so that he wouldn’t just sit with students in the magnet program and held a dinner for a group of Montgomery Blair High School students so they could all enjoy the prom together, even if they had no date. The idea for the drive-in memorial arose when Tommy’s sister, Tabitha, said she felt cheated that due to COVID-19, she could not hug those who shared her grief and missed out on in-person, comforting Shivah, the Jewish mourning ritual. He was a poet, an enthusiastic Boggle player, a vegan, a political person who cared about every person and animal in the world.

He was a graduate of Amherst College and was attending Harvard Law School at the time of his death. Tommy Raskin, who grew up in Takoma Park, lost his life to depression on Dec. Arlene Bloom said her grandson was “caring, devoted.” They also were asked to say one word that best describes him.įunny, sensitive, kind, good, gentle, illuminary, authentic and his positivity were just some of the many attributes cited. Jamie Raskin’s middle child, what they learned from him and what they would like to say to him now. The celebration of his life featured memories from long-time friends, teachers, his sisters and parents interspersed with prerecorded videos of answers to such questions as what they admired most about U.S Rep. During a three-hour drive-in memorial service Saturday afternoon, Tommy Raskin, who died of suicide at the age of 25, was remembered by family, friends and thousands of others gathered at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.

Thomas raskin amherst