When Thomas was diagnosed with a brain tumor in January 2019, Thomas continued to be the fighter that he was on the field. “Throughout his treatment and diagnoses, Thomas was always calm and he persevered,” recalled his mother, Raffaella. “He was steady through the process and just focused on the next step.”
Thomas on the field
Initially diagnosed with stage II astrocytoma, Thomas and his family continued to look for answers. After a family friend introduced them to a local St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital patient family, they were encouraged to contact St. Jude. “When we contacted the doctor at St. Jude, we got an email back within the hour and had a call scheduled for the next day,” said his father, Nathan. “They were responsive and were always three steps ahead, knowing what we needed to do for Thomas.”
During surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible, doctors confirmed that Thomas had stage IV glioblastoma multiforme. “The news was devasting,” remembered Raffaella. The family had recently lost a friend to the same diagnosis. But it was the arrival at St. Jude that changed the family’s focus.
“When we got to St. Jude, it was the first time that we were at peace and could stop doing our own research,” said Raffaella. “We could fully focus on our son.”
Thomas with his parents at St. Jude
While at St. Jude, Thomas rediscovered past interests, including playing the bass guitar. “He did weekly Zoom guitar lessons with Papini (a friend of the family in Italy) while we were at the Ronald McDonald house,” said Nathan. “Thomas was connected across the world and supported by our global family.”
As his treatment continued, Thomas set a goal to run the St. Jude Walk/Run Twin Cities, taking place in September during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. On the day of the event, hundreds of soccer teammates and their families were at the event, supporting the Wichmann’s and sporting Kickin’ it for Thomas shirts. The family received hundreds of cards of support, all in the shape of shoe prints to represent Kickin’ It for Thomas.
A few weeks after the 2019 Walk/Run, Thomas lost his battle.
Over the last four years, the global community continues to honor Thomas and his legacy of supporting research for cancers without answers.
Reese Foster, recipient of the 22/23 Thomas Wichmann Leadership Award
The Fusion Soccer Club community honors two players each year with the Thomas Wichmann Leadership award. The award goes to a male and female player that showcase qualities that Thomas lead with, on and off the field: relentlessness, resilience, strong, kind, and joyful. “On the field you could really see Thomas’ goofy side,” laughed Nathan. “The award emphasizes leadership and being kind to others – not necessarily about being the best player. Thomas was driven but at the same time, he was gentle and kind.”
Cade Donnay, recipient of the 22/23 Thomas Wichmann Leadership Award
With two sons still involved in soccer, the family is grateful for how the community continues to embrace Thomas’ memory. “The soccer community has done an amazing job continuing his legacy,” said Raffaella. “As everything moves on from Thomas and his friends grow up and begin university, every impression that Thomas had on people is extremely important to our family and continuing to remember Thomas.”
As this year’s St. Jude Walk/Run approaches, Thomas’ younger siblings Luca and Liam continue to pass flyers out in their neighborhood and invite the community to walk in honor of Thomas. On walk day, nearly 30 international friends and family members will join a virtual walk to support Thomas and the future of childhood cancer research.
“This would have been Thomas’ senior year,” reflected Raffaella. “It’s much harder to see the milestones that Thomas is missing.”
To honor and remember Thomas, the family is completing the final steps in naming a room in the St. Jude Research Center after Thomas. “Not only is this a way to honor and remember Thomas, but it’s a way to support St. Jude,” said Nathan. “If we can all donate something, we can save someone. We can save a child. Hopefully someday, someone with glioblastoma lives.”
Being a family of doctors and scientists, the Wichmanns know the importance of research. “The research will make that cure possible one day,” said Raffaella. “But it’s the combination of the research and the focus on supporting the family and child that matters most. St. Jude is the key to bringing those together.”
With support around the world, the Wichmanns continue to honor Thomas and how they can support a future family that hears the words “your child has cancer.”
