How one moment of kindness in 1951 shaped an extraordinary ordinary life
The Person You Walked Past Today
You saw him this morning. Maybe not Tom Amiss specifically — he passed away in July 2025 — but someone just like him. Well-dressed, professional smile, walking with purpose down a busy street. Just another face in the crowd heading to work.
You probably didn’t give him a second thought.
But what if I told you that man carried 73 years of the most beautiful secret? What if that ordinary-looking person had a story that would make you stop, turn around, and wish you’d said hello?
September 1951: Where It All Began
East Lansing, Michigan. Home to Michigan State University, fresh off their national football championship. The whole town was buzzing with Spartan pride. And somewhere on Hagadorn Road, a twelve-year-old boy named Tom Amiss was about to learn a lesson that would shape the next seven decades of his life.
The scene: A nervous seventh-grader, clutching his lunchbox, trying not to cry because he couldn’t find the school bus stop.
The moment: Another kid walking over. “Hey, the bus stops right here. I’ll wait with you.”
Simple, right? Just one kid helping another. Except that moment of kindness became Tom’s blueprint for how to treat every person he’d meet for the rest of his life.
The Extraordinary Hidden in Plain Sight
Tom Amiss looked like any successful car salesman. For 22 years, he worked at Williams Auto World in East Lansing, selling high-end German cars. Picture him: always “dressed to the nines, thanks to Kositchek’s Menswear,” professional demeanor, the kind of guy who knew how to close a deal.
But here’s what you couldn’t see from the showroom floor:
The Friend Who Never Forgot
His best friend Dick Milligan left a tribute that reads like a 70-year love letter. They met in seventh grade — yes, Tom was the boy who showed Dick where to catch the bus that first day. Their friendship survived Marine Corps Reserve training, cross-country moves, marriages, career changes, and seven decades of life.
In 1964, both men unknowingly bought the exact same car: brand new Mustangs. When they discovered this coincidence, I imagine the phone call was filled with the kind of laughter that only comes from friendships that deep.
The Father and Grandfather
Tom raised three children with his first wife Melanie: Heidi, John, and Matt. Later, he found love again with Mary Ellen Sheets, someone he’d known since his teens. Thirty-six years of marriage. Imagine that — reconnecting with someone from your teenage years and building a life together that lasted over three decades.
His sense of humor showed up in the smallest details. His Yorkshire terriers were named Pee, Wee, and Mini. (Yes, really. If that doesn’t tell you everything about Tom’s personality, nothing will.)
The Scared Flyer Who Traveled the World
Here’s the detail that stopped me in my tracks: Tom was a white-knuckled flyer who spent 36 years traveling the world with Mary Ellen.
Picture this man gripping airplane armrests, probably closing his eyes during every takeoff, definitely not enjoying one second of being 30,000 feet above ground. But boarding flight after flight after flight because love meant showing up — even when you’re terrified.
They had homes in Canada, Florida, and Michigan. Boats. Friends scattered across continents. All because Tom decided his fear mattered less than his love.
The Lifetime Spartan
Tom “bled green, as any Spartan fan would.” From that championship year when he was twelve right through to the end, his loyalty never wavered. For 26 consecutive years, he went to Detroit Tigers Opening Day — “come snow, sleet, rain or shine.”
Twenty-six years. Through bad seasons and good. Through snow and sun. Creating traditions that would outlast him.
The Marathon Runner
At 40, Tom started something that shocked everyone who knew him: distance running. Sixteen marathons over the years. Imagine this well-dressed car salesman lacing up running shoes, proving it’s never too late to reinvent yourself.
Why Tom’s Story Matters Today
In our rush-past-everyone world, Tom Amiss represents something we’re losing: the art of paying attention. Of seeing the person who looks lost and choosing to help instead of hurrying past.
His story isn’t about grand gestures or front-page heroics. It’s about the accumulated power of small kindnesses, maintained relationships, and showing up — even when you’re scared, even when it’s inconvenient, even when no one will notice.
The Ripple Effect
Tom’s family asked that donations in his honor go to the Capital Area Humane Society. Even in death, he was still showing vulnerable creatures the way to safety.
His grandson Jack probably never knew about that September morning in 1951 when his grandfather helped a scared kid find the school bus. But I’ll bet he felt the same steady presence — that sense that Grandpa Tom was the kind of person who’d always help you find your way.
The Question That Changes Everything
Every person has a story like Tom’s — someone who taught them something important just by paying attention when they felt invisible. Someone who never outgrew kindness.
The question is: Would you notice? Would you remember?
Listen to the Full Story
Tom Amiss’s complete story — with all its beautiful, specific details — is waiting for you in the latest episode of True Stories from the Obit Files. It’s seven minutes that will change how you see the “ordinary” people around you.
Because here’s the thing: there are no ordinary people. Just extraordinary lives we haven’t bothered to notice yet.
True Stories from the Obit Files shares unforgettable stories from real obituaries every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and never miss these incredible true stories.
Subscribe Now to get notified when each new episode drops — because once you hear these stories, you’ll never look at ordinary people the same way again. Subscribe here -> https://tapyournews.com/listen-to-the-true-stories-from-the-obit-files-podcast/