Tom Bock's Y Story
The Bob Sierra Family Y is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of a longtime member, donor and friend, Tom Bock.
Tom brought an energy to a room like no other. His radiant personality shone through with every interaction he made. He was always making sure that everyone was taken care of and never hesitated to sacrifice for the betterment of others. He was truly an angel on earth to so many.
Tom will be deeply missed by his wife, children, grandchildren, family and friends.
The Bock family has always been extremely generous to our Y, and our hearts and prayers go out to his loved ones during this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, the family is kindly requesting contributions to the Bob Sierra Y. We are so incredibly honored and sincerely grateful for all gifts in Tom's name.
Bob Sierra North Tampa Family Y Member since 2011
Learn more about Tom's passion for the YMCA from his first-person account, which he wrote in 2020:
My first experience with the Y was when I was 12 years old. We had a small Y in my town that was actually a small house with a pool and furniture removed for exercise equipment. My friends had season passes but my family couldn’t afford them. In the summer when they went to the pool, they would distract the person at the desk and I would sneak or jump the fence behind the pool. One day, the staff person came out to the pool and asked me to get out, dry off and come to the office. I had been caught and I was ready for my punishment. When I arrived at the front desk, the man asked for my name and address. He wrote it down and went into an office to call the police, or so I thought. When he returned, he handed me a season pass and said, "Don’t keep sneaking in, you might get hurt climbing the fence."
That was the first time I experienced the direct charity of someone and I was extremely grateful.
As an adult, I found that I could pay it forward as the YMCA is more than a gym and swim and does some great things for the community. I learned I could support swim lessons for kids in need, summer camp contributions and collecting gift boxes for kids at Christmas.
My most memorable Y experience was on March 19, 2018. That was the day the Water Volleyball team set a record for hitting the ball 91 times without touching the water or hitting it out of the pool. This may not sound like much, but those who play and/or watch us know that getting to 10 sometimes is a miracle.
I joined the Y in 2011 to get out of the house, meet some people, exercise and lose a little weight. Little did I know, the people I would meet would become more like family than just fellow members.
The one word I use to describe the Y is: Charitable.
My two grandchildren, Camille and Orion, have grown up at the Y learning to swim, attending preschool, after school and summer camps. No one is closer to me than them. The Y has been a very positive impact on their development and I thank [the Y] for that.