March 2, 2007

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ US. POSTAGE PAID POSTAL CUSTOMER GLASTONBURY CITIZEN, INC. LOCAL RIVEREAST PRESORTED STANDARD NewsServing Amston, Andover, Cobalt, East Hampton, Hebron,Bulletin Marlborough, Middle Haddam, Portland, Colchester and Salem Volume 31, Number 51 Published by The Glastonbury Citizen March 2, 2007 Tyler Cormier, age 21 of Marlborough, passed away last weekend at Hartford Hospital, but the impact of his life extends far beyond his youth. Here he is pictured on the evening of his senior prom in 2005. Tyler’s Friends Honor a Well-Lived Life by Sarah McCoy Tyler Cormier, a 21-year-old from While a student Elmer Thienes-Mary to Boston for college. Marlborough, passed away last Saturday. Hall Elementary School, gym teacher Tony For the first eight years of their friend- As a journalist, I can tell you the facts Colavecchio dubbed him, “The Mayor of ship, Tyler called Libby “BeeBee,” because about Tyler. Marlborough.” For those of you who think the L-sound proved to be too difficult for I can tell you he was a die-hard sports this might be a misnomer for a kid with him to pronounce. But when he was 10, fan and even better friend. Down’s syndrome, you obviously didn’t Tyler did something that changed Libby’s I can tell you what he did during his life know Tyler. life. With great concentration and a little and what awards he received. With a perpetual smile and outgoing per- slurring, Tyler managed to call his friend But, as someone who has known Tyler sonality, friendship with Tyler was immi- by her first name and then proudly boasted for most of my life, I can also tell you that nent. “You couldn’t be around him for how he had been practicing it with his those bare facts wouldn’t do him justice. more than five minutes without falling in speech therapist. To know Tyler is to know the impact he love,” Libby Gifford said. Gifford first met That moment is etched on Libby’s heart had on this community. As judged by the Tyler when she was 5 years old and he was so deeply that when it came time to pick a hour-long wait visitors had at his wake on 2. The two remained close friends through- major in college, she knew exactly what Tuesday night, his impact was far-reaching. out high school and even after she moved Continued on Page 2 Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Continued from Front Page That same year he also suited up for a varsity to choose. She now works as a speech patholo- basketball game where he scored two points on gist in Framingham, MA. Senior Night. Bobby Hopkins also had his life turned On a typical day you could look over the around by Tyler. After transferring to RHAM RHAM cafeteria at lunchtime and see students as a sophomore, Bobby met Tyler while play- all mixed together. Tyler would be eating with ing on the basketball team. The two quickly the basketball team, while other special educa- developed a friendship that lasted long after tion students would be dispersed throughout the Bobby graduated from RHAM in 2004. He is cafeteria, each with their friends. Not only is now pursuing a degree in Special Education this type of integration unusual at high schools, because of the relationship he had with Tyler it probably wouldn’t have happened without Cormier. Tyler blazing trails. Perhaps no one had their life changed by “Tyler was one of those rare students who Tyler more then RHAM boys basketball coach fundamentally changed RHAM,” Leslie said. Steve Emt. Emt took a job as Tyler’s aide at “That is his legacy.” RHAM Middle School in 1997. From that first Tyler was a rare kid in that he loved school. day the pair became inseparable. He couldn’t wait for vacations to be over, and Tyler took on the duties of the basketball every morning he’d wake up at 6 a.m. raring to team manager. They went to UConn games to- go. He’d do his best to coax his sister, Cathleen, gether. They hung out at each others’ houses. out of bed, not understanding why she didn’t And in that time Tyler gave Steve the gift of share the same excitement for the morning. joy. “No matter what the day, no matter what Tyler loved his sister so much that he wanted was going on, there is more to life than sor- her to share in all the things he enjoyed so much. row,” Steve said. “Tyler had a love of life so Throughout his life, Tyler’s love knew no deep that you could not look at him without bounds. He began each day by kissing his Tyler Cormier (second from right) with (from left), Matt Grosso of Marlborough, smiling.” mother. And, after his school day Tyler would When he spoke at his friend’s funeral on run out of the locker room and run into his Jeff Bottaro of Hebron, and Paul Cormier during a Special Olympics Basketball Wednesday, Emt recalled a typical Tyler mo- father’s arms. Paul has served as the assistant Tournament in 2004. ment. The RHAM boys were losing to a Bolton boy’s basketball coach for the past four years, team that they should have been beating, so Emt a position he obtained through Tyler. called a time-out to motivate his team. After Even in his last days Tyler had love. the time-out, he looked down the bench and saw Tyler’s friend Matt Grosso visited him a every one of his players with their heads down. handful of times in January before he had to Every one except one. Down at the end Tyler leave for college in Maine. The weekend be- sat with a grin as wide as the ocean, saying that fore Tyler’s passing Matt had an opportunity to everything would be all right. come home. On Saturday he went to visit Tyler For Tyler there was joy in everything. but found him asleep. That isn’t to say Tyler was always happy. Matt returned on Sunday and now calls it He had his moments, as we all do. Once, after one of the best decisions he has ever made. a Special Olympics’ speed skating race which “When I walked into the room his face lit up,” Tyler failed to win, he sat down on the ice, threw Matt recalled. “Tyler has given big smiles in his gloves, and ripped off his skates in disgust. the past, but this one took the cake.” A true competitor at heart, Tyler loved to win. He snapped a photo of Tyler on his cell On their way home from what would be his phone, an image Matt said he “will treasure last game as the basketball team’s manager, forever.” Tyler and his dad, Paul, sat quietly in the car. Even in intensive care, Tyler could overlook When Paul asked what was wrong, Tyler re- his problems and express the love and joy he sponded, “I just want to win, dad.” had in seeing his friend’s face. It didn’t matter if he was cheering from the For every person that knew Tyler there are sidelines or playing, Tyler loved a good battle. hundreds of stories. There are stories of his For the last two months of his life, Tyler sense of humor, of his kindness, of his deter- fought the bravest battle of them all. For seven mination. weeks he lay in Hartford Hospital’s Intensive With this in mind his friends and family have Care Unit with what started as, a severe case of established the Tyler Cormier Memorial Schol- pneumonia. Tyler stared death directly in the arship Fund. The scholarship will be awarded eyes three times and won before it became too yearly to a RHAM High School male and fe- much. He succumbed to respiratory failure on male student who embody Tyler’s spirit and February 24. have participated in the RHAM Unified Sports Maybe even more than competition itself, program. Tyler loved participation. In 21 years he did In lieu of flowers the family asks for dona- more than most do in a lifetime. He won med- tions to the fund. Donations are currently be- als for basketball, softball, speed skating and ing accepted at Liberty Bank in Marlborough. swimming as a member of both the Glastonbury Tyler is survived by his parents Paul and and RHAM Special Olympics teams. He loved Anna Cormier, of Marlborough; sister, Cathleen watching the Red Sox and UConn men’s bas- Cormier, of Marlborough; and grandmother, ketball. In addition to managing the basketball Mildred Pilch, of Charlestown, RI. He also team, Tyler also assisted the RHAM High leaves his uncles and their wives, David and School baseball team. He worked at Eastern Frederica Cormier, of Tolland, William and Connecticut State University where he was re- Wilfred Cormier, of Alabama, Steve and Marcia cently offered a full-time position. Pilch, of East Windsor, David Pilch, of East Tyler wasn’t this active because his parents Hampton, Paul and Ingrid Pilch, of Enfield, and forced him. He was this active because he several cousins. wanted to be. When there was something he In life and in death Tyler brought unity. Hun- wanted, Tyler had the initiative and drive to go dreds, if not thousands, descended on and get it.

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