I am deeply saddened by the passing of Tom Kowalski.
I worked for many years with Tom at The Oakland Press, and he was largely responsible for me getting a staff job because he went to bat for me when I needed it most. It was typical Tom. He had a big heart. Tom was always willing to help with a problem, might it be moving, might it be putting in the VCR you couldn't figure out, or with sound advice about what was going on if you were troubled.
He was a great beat writer. Not only his reporting skills, but Tom was an incredible writer. He was also a great competitor. If you were on the Lions' beat, you had your hands full not only beating Tom on stories, but just keeping up with him. I especially appreciated his courage. He was respectful, but never afraid of those he was covering. And Tom was fun. He had a great sense of humor.
Like many people, I will miss him very much. My thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones.