Meet Your Neighbor… Tom Preston

As the father of a child who once battled a life-threatening condition, and a victim of last December's Bistro 77 accident, Tom Preston is a man who has suffered adversity. What's more remarkable about Tom is his reaction to these experiences. His is a story about giving back to the community and learning to appreciate what's important in life.
Tom grew up in grew up in Lucasville, a town 60 miles south of Columbus. He graduated from Muskingum College in 1982 with degrees in business administration and political science, and later earned an MBA from Kent State University.
In 1985, a management job at York Steakhouse in Belden Village Mall brought Tom to the area. It was there he met his future wife Tanya, a college student who was working at the restaurant. The couple married in 1987 and are parents to three daughters, Taylor, 13, Carly, 10, and Sydney, 7.
Tom's career path took him to Ohio Power, then Key Bank, and finally to IBM where he has worked for the past 12 years. As a business unit executive with a technical sales role in a software group, he manages a team of 12 people scattered over 15 states. He spends a considerable amount of time traveling, but he said he's adapted. “Give me three weeks at home and I'm ready to go. Give me three weeks on the road, and I'm ready to go home.”
For the past five years, Tom has been involved with Wishes Can Happen, a North Canton-based non-profit group that grants wishes to children with life threatening conditions. He is now serving his first year as president of the organization. A personal experience introduced him to Wishes Can Happen.
The Preston's middle daughter Carly was born with a number of congenital heart defects. They knew surgery was inevitable. “It was a life-threatening condition. If she didn't have the surgery, her life expectancy would have been greatly reduced.”
A friend of Tom's who was on the board of Wishes Can Happen wanted to grant Carly a wish. “I was very resistant. Financially I was doing okay and I thought there are so many more people deserving of this who might not be able to afford it. I finally relented because I realized it wasn't about me and what I thought, it was about Carly and what she wanted.”
Wishes Can Happen sent the Preston family to Disney for three days and then on a four-day Disney Cruise with singer Aaron Carter. “When we got back, it really hit me what it was all about. I contacted Wishes Can Happen and told them if there was ever an opening on their board, I was there to help. It just so happened that they had an opening.”
Tom said Wishes Can Happen is often misunderstood. “People have the misconception that it's only for terminally ill kids. It's not. It's for children with life threatening conditions. People also confuse us with Make A Wish Foundation, which is an international organization. We were founded in 1982 and we're strictly local. We grant wishes in Stark and surrounding counties.” Tom is the only board member who had a child in the program. “I have first hand experience of what it's like to be a recipient and I know how much joy it brings to a child.”
The Preston family is very supportive of Tom's involvement with Wishes Can Happen and even participate in fundraisers. “I want my girls to see that it's a good thing to give back, not just by writing a check, but by giving of your time.”
Carly had open heart surgery three years ago and is now a healthy fifth grader at Northwood Elementary.
This month, Tom's thoughts are occupied by another life altering experience. On December 2, 2005, Tom and his wife were enjoying an evening out at Bistro 77 when a teenage girl lost control of her speeding car and crashed through the front dining room of the Dressler Rd. restaurant. Tanya suffered minor injuries while both of Tom's legs were broken. “You always hear people say 'you never know when your time will come.' So many people treat it as a cliché, but I don't anymore. I knew we could have died there that night. That car stopped four feet in front of me.”
Tom said he thinks about the accident every day. “It's changed my perspective. I've realigned my priorities and I appreciate my family and friends more. I've always worked really hard at my job, putting in lots of hours. Now I don't place my job over my family like I may have done in the past.”
The community's response to the Preston's injuries made an impact on Tom. “I've had the opportunity to travel all over the world and I can't think of a better place to raise a family. The people here are the friendliest I've ever met. I'm not from here, but people accepted me in a friendly, open way. One thing I'll never forget is the outpouring from friends after the accident. It was amazing.”
As the one year anniversary of the accident approaches, Tom hasn't made any special plans for that day. “I do know that I'll make sure I'm at home and not traveling. I think it's going to be a hard day for the family and I want to be there with them.” Even as time passes, he believes that incident will always remain a significant part of his life. “The other day, a friend introduced me to someone and as I was walking away, I heard a person whisper, 'remember that accident...' I feel I'll always be known as the guy that was in the Bistro 77 accident, but that's okay. It's part of who I am now and it's made me a better person.”
For more information on Wishes Can Happen, log on to "http://www.wishescanhappen.com/