When I told him what readers had donated - to pay his rent before eviction, to get his phone, Internet and TV turned back on - his eyes widened. "That's even more than the last time," he said, quietly.
It is - almost $15,000.
In addition to the cash, there were PetSmart gift cards for him to use for his friends, cats Buddy, 6, and Misha, 14, plus Wawa cards good for hoagies or gas.
When people called or wrote to ask where to send money to help pull the 57-year-old from the bottom of a financial well where he was thrown by bad health, they thanked me for giving them the opportunity to step up.
Their help pulled him out of the well. I was privileged to be the messenger.
"It's amazing how wonderful people are," Tom said.
Amazing, too, were the number of larger donors who demanded anonymity. I'd like to print everyone's name, but there are too many. People gave as much as their hearts and pocketbooks commanded, so the $10 checks - and the $5,000 check - have the same moral value.
Some donations came from people who were themselves struggling. Animal lovers were heard from. Money came from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, from men and women, from whites, blacks, Asians and Hispanics - Americans with open hearts.
The final step is getting Tom into affordable housing, and that's being worked on.
I can acknowledge that Philadelphia state Sen. Larry Farnese has his office looking into ways to help Tom through state programs for which he might qualify. Tom doesn't live in Farnese's district, but Farnese is that rarity - a public servant who wants to help, and doesn't ask where you live and how you're registered.
