Thomas Markus Schindlmayr

Dear Julia and Schindlmayr family,

It was with deep sadness that I read about your loss, upon finding this website.

I met Thomas on a trip to the Himalayas in '92, with a great bunch of friends in Oxventure, touring the mountains, Kathmandu and white water rafting.  He was unstoppable and never saw barriers, only possibilities. Thomas was an amazing and inspirational friend, with tremendous academic capability. I can hardly believe he is gone from us. I remember him raising concerns about disability access in restaurants we visted in London, when he came free wheeling out of Helen Graham House, and  whizzing around Leicester Square.

And I recall him telling someone off for using a Canberra disabled parking bay, when they admitted they were not disabled. Thomas was always vocal about his rights.

I will cherish my happy memories of Thomas always,

Thinking of you all in your time of loss,

Kind regards, Namaste,

Anne Palmer   ( aka beryl the peril)

( Northern Ireland)

Dear Julia, Inge, Mr and Mrs Schindlmayr and families

 

I am sorry it has taken me so long to send you my deepfelt sympathies.  It was with shock and sadness that I learnt of Thomas' passing, almost 4 months after it happened, and since then have found it difficult to find the right words to write to you.

 

Two nights ago I dreamt of Thomas, smiling as always, wearing a crumpled up white T-shirt, getting into a van, setting off on a trip somewhere.  He was I am sure trying to tell me that I needed to get my act together and send the message to his family as I had intended.

 

I will always be grateful and privileged to have known him as a work colleague and a friend - at IPPF and during his Fiji trip in 1996.

 

So I hope you will forgive me for sending you this message so belatedly.

 

Vimla

[I will also write in the memories page in due course]

Dear Julia

We remember Tom with affection

We met Tom at the United Nations during the Convention for the Rights of People with Disabilities. Frank had an Australian flag attached to his chair which Tom saw. He was instantly drawn to it and we immediatley forged a friendship.

We shared many a meal with Tom and Julia over the years we attended the UN.

Julia, it was a pleasure to have shared those special moments with you and Tom and our love goes to you.

 

annette and frank

I hope someone close to Thomas has the opportunity to read this. I am just an ordinary ex-collegiate who was fortunate enough to spend tiem with Thomas. No one knew me. But those close to Thomas will recognise the truth in what I say.

 

I was given the pleasant task to teach him to play basketball. His eyes shone when he played and I am sure he delighted when I showed the tricks he could employ. No where does it say how he enjoyed the commaraderie of his special periods learning this when on other occassions, I understand he could not participate in normal sports activities.

 

I had been recently thinking about Thomas, I don't know why. I think it was as a result of a lost opportunity to cross paths in 1985 at the Leisure center in Eltham where I heard someone call my name. I knew it was Thomas but I was in a group of many people and we were veing rounded up to another function. That I guess will haunt me now forever. But for Thomas, I am amazed at how far you went and the impact you made. Ich bein ouch eine Berliner.

thank you for being with us

Today is the day that you are finally laid to rest in Munich. I'm still finding it hard to accept that you are no longer with us and I can't understand why such a brilliant young man was taken so suddenly. I'm very proud that you were my son-in-law and very proud of all that you achieved in such a short time. Truly remarkable. Thank you for being such a warm and loving husband, best friend and soul mate to Julia. I miss you, I miss your sense of humour,but most of all I miss the way you called me Mumma C Love always and always remembered. Carolynne B

Thomas was my class mate at SOAS where we studied Geography together. I remember his intense love for life and enjoyment. He would never accept any obstacles as we all saw when we went for a field trip to the dusty village of Serrekounda in Gambia.

I am shocked and deeply saddened to learn that he has passed away at such a young age, and I send my condolences to his friends and family.

My sincerest condolences to Wulf, Edith and Adele and friends.

 

Thomas shall remain in my fondest memories. I feel privileged to have known him.

 

Thomas, let me introduce you to my family when we are next in München.......it is never too late. Take care buddy.

 

Your old school friend 

Dear Schindlmayr family

It is with shock and deep sadness that I have learned of Thomas' passing. Throughout his time at Eltham College, Research, Victoria, Thomas showed us all, both fellow students and staff, that he had a spirit and a confidence to take on the world.  How fitting that he should pursue his life's work at the United Nations.
Thomas' legacy to the hilly campus of Eltham College is a series of rambling pathways and ramps which always seemed no trouble to him, but which still tax the more able-bodied of us!
On behalf of the Ex-Eltham Collegians Association (ExECS) I extend our deepest sympathy to his wife and family on the loss of one so precious to them. Thomas was an inspiration to us also.  May he rest in peace.

Dear Dr. & Mrs. Schindlmayr:

It is wonderful to reconnect with you both after all these years except that I wish the occasion for our reunion weren't such a sad one.  I wanted to tell you this at Thomas's memorial in New York but did not have the opportunity.  As you know, I've known Thomas for a long time and in all my time with him, his strength, endurance and confidence were all just so truly remarkable.  I remembered commenting on several occasions how uninhibited he was in all areas of his life and concluding that his drive made him all around successful.  To be sure, he always attributed his success to his parents.  He was forever grateful for his upbringing and for your unconditional love and support.  He always said that you both instilled in him a sense of confidence and achievement and as we all know how his life turned out, I hope you both can find comfort in the fact that you have raised such an outstanding human being, nourished his gentle and beautiful personality, prepared him for the world and shared him with the world.  I hope that by reflecting on your remarkable son, you can somehow find peace within yourselves during moments when you miss him intensely. 

 

With all my love and respect,

Ngan