Thomas W. Schafrick
December 17, 1968 ~ February 21, 2024
Born in:
New Haven, CT
Resided in:
Meriden, CT
Thomas William Schafrick, 55, of Meriden, passed away suddenly of cardiac arrest at his home on February 21, 2024. He was born on December 17, 1968, in New Haven, to William and Lois (Waller) Schafrick of Meriden.
A son, brother, friend, and father, Tommy has touched the lives of so many. Being self-employed, he spent a lot of time working, but all his free time was dedicated to being with Madison and Thomas, who meant the world to him.
He will be dearly missed by his son Thomas, daughters Madison, Rachel Molnar, and Rebecca Latham, his brother James Schafrick, brother-in-law Christopher Carlone, former wife Lisa Besek, many extended relatives, and lifelong friends. Both of Tommy’s parents predecease him.
A Memorial Service celebrating Tommy’s life will be held on Saturday, March 16th at 11:00 a.m. at the Hubbard Chapel located in Walnut Grove Cemetery, 817 Old Colony Road, Meriden. Friends are invited to visit with his family from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. before the service. His family asks that flower orders be sent to Beecher & Bennett-Flatow Funeral Home, 48 Cook Ave., Meriden. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a fund created for Madison and Thomas: https://gofund.me/f1db09c9.
“When someone you love becomes a memory,
the memory becomes a treasure.”
Services
Visitation: March 16, 2024 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Hubbard Chapel at Walnut Grove Cemetery
817 Old Colony Rd.
Meriden, CT 06451
Memorial Service: March 16, 2024 11:00 am
Hubbard Chapel at Walnut Grove Cemetery
817 Old Colony Rd.
Meriden, CT 06451
Tom Schafrick was NOT born to Lois and William Schafrick. He was born to Lori Carangelo, his mother, on December 17, 1968, was adopted by the Schafricks and had a 30 year relationship with his mother, Lori Carangelo, before he died. Tom was not told he was adopted until a neighbor informed him when he was 10. I was tricked into the sealed adoption and searched for him for 18 years via attorneys and paid searchers. Out of respect for Lois Schafrick who raised my son alone after she and her husband divorced, I phoned her before my son and I had our first contact. She was receptive, saying he had always wanted to know about his mother, but wanted to first meet with a caseworker at The Children’s Center in Hamden, to verify our identities. From then on, despite my attempts to form a relationship with Lois as well, and although she was glad for any help I could provide to him, she refused to have any further contact with me. Tom’s actual cause of death, according to the CT Medical Examiner’s record, was acute Fentanyl and Cocaine intoxication, ruled Accidental. His lifelong drug addiction began when he was a teenager, before I found him, and despite all the help, opportunities, and love I provided him, he was unable to kick his lifelong addiction. Because his adoptive parents were both deceased prior to his death, his adoptive brother, James, provided his Obit, worded as his mother would probably have wanted, but James never attempted to inform me my son had died. Tom’s long time dear friend and mine, Rhonda Salvatore, informed me on the day of his funeral. As there is nothing more that I can do for my son, but since I’m a non-fiction writer with 23 adoption themed and true crime books on Amazon, I published parts of our story in “Carangelo vs. Connecticut,” and “The 8 Ball Cafe” on Amazon, while still angry that my son was deprived of the life he should have had. Finally putting the anger to rest, I hope to write about the good parts that I was fortunate to have shared with my son in the time that we were allowed. Rest in peace, Tom.