Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Tom, Andy, and I were constantly asked, “What was it like to be a triplet?” The easy answer was that we knew nothing different—it simply was! The spotlight was on us from the very beginning. I’m sure we underwhelmed all the curious onlookers with our singular mediocrity.
One of the biggest takeaways of being Tim, Tom, and Andy is the shared birthday—every year, year after year, year after year. I don’t remember one year that we did not celebrate together… some more memorable than others, but I digress.
I’m not sure if, because there were three of us, we felt we each needed to differentiate ourselves in some ways to be noticed. Positive attention, negative attention—any attention! Let the competition begin!!!
If I had to describe each of us in a word, I’d say: Tom—compliant, Andy—curious, and me—rebellious.
Did Andy and I become competitive? Ok… ok, maybe overzealous, maniacal, or even psychotic in the will to best each other in everything! It really didn’t matter what we did together—making your bed, cutting the grass, cards, sports, canoeing, girls—beating the other was all that mattered!
Tom, being smarter than both of us, wisely stayed on the sidelines, offering words of peace and brotherhood… which were ignored!
One incident between us encapsulated our middle school years through high school.
We often spent time at the local YMCA—a fantastic outlet for all that energy—swimming, basketball, floor hockey, ski club, and the pinnacle: Camp Jorn. Anyhow, some of our high school pals were at the “Y” playing hoops. Neither Andy nor I were any good—it didn’t matter; it was a chance to be better than the other.
Whatever the foul or slight, it ended as it always seemed to… fisticuffs. That happened so often our friends and family accepted it as normal.
Andy had me in a headlock. I was trapped, he was punching the stars out of me.
“Do you quit?”
“No!”
Pow.
“Do you quit?”
“No!”
Pow—over and over again…
Andy soon realized he had a problem. I was down, but not out!
He finally let me up and ran like the wind to escape from the gym, down two flights of steep steps to the ground floor, past the front desk. I caught him at the door leading out to County Street. I tackled him, and down the concrete steps and into the street we went, right back at it, until adults in the street broke it up.
Seriously, we were both nuts. We must have provided endless entertainment to those around us.
Even my mom, Sally, let it happen.
“Just don’t hit him in the mouth,” was her only admonishment.
It’s no wonder Tom considered the priesthood in his future.
In spite of our constant and crazy need to best each other, our friends stuck by us. They supported, encouraged and loved us, and remarkably, they still do today.
I’ll finish with this: after high school, Andy and I never fought each other again. Something had changed, and we became more than just friends.
I knew that whatever I needed, he would help, and the same in return. Tom always had that heart from the start, and Andy and I had to learn that lesson the hard way.
I’m so grateful to have had Andy in my life… to have Tom in my life. To be triplets together - I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Love you guys! ♥️♥️♥️
Tim
