For the most part I know the McGurk family through my dear friend Tara. Although we went to high school together, Tara and I became close friends after college, living in NYC. We trained together for the 2003 NYC Marathon, and ran together for most of it. You learn a lot about yourself training to run the 26.2 miles, but you also learn a lot about your running partner. The best word I can think of to describe Tara is Good. She is the epitome of a good and honorable person. I admire her so much for who she is. I always thought that it would have been great if I had been more like Tara in High School. I still think of her in high school and hope that my girls will be just like she was. I have to believe that the person Tara is today was influenced by her parents, her sister, and her brother. I know how much Tara loves her brother, and how much he looked out for her. You could tell he would always see T as his baby sister, and how seriously he took his role as her brother. When you show up for people like this, you're giving them a gift--the gift is a sense of importance, a sense that you matter--I know that Tom has left an indelible mark on all who knew him, and I know that both of his sisters will forever be protected by his love, and they will feel him looking down on them every day of their lives. Much love and strength. Emily