By Paul Aleckson, PCAFPD President
Tommy Schultz made it back to America for the final days of his battle with cancer, but his fight ended June 4, 2021 at age 45. Tommy served as a Coastal Resource Management Volunteer in Dumaguete City in Group 263 from 2004-06. His time in the Peace Corps inspired more travel and his love of photography. He spent the last 14 years in Bali as a freelance photographer and writer. His work appeared in National Geographic, Patagonia, World Wildlife Fun, and The Surfers Journal, among others. Admire his photos at tommyschultz.com
When Tommy’s cancer kept progressing, a Go Fund Me campaign raised money for the flight back to Virginia with a nurse. Support from family and friends, including several RPCVs, poured in to more than cover the expenses. Today, his family has decided to donate the excess funds to things near and dear to Tommy’s heart such as Surfers for Climate and the Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines (LAMAVE). The family has also made a $5,000 donation to the PCAFPD to sponsor a scholar for four years. The PCAFPD thanks the Schultz family for its generosity during such a difficult time. They have given a gift that will bring benefits to a person, a family, and a country for decades to come. Rest in peace, Tommy