Elk Grove Village native remembered for making people’s experiences special with balloons

0
3


Thomas DeLorenzo, who started Balloons By Tommy at age 14, died Oct. 24 after a battle with cancer. The 38-year-old Elk Grove Village native was widely known for his balloon designs, which earned him several awards.
Courtesy of Debbie Strohm

It’s rare to launch a career at 14, but that’s what Thomas DeLorenzo did when he started Balloons By Tommy.

Over the years, the business has grown into a major influence in the Chicago area and DeLorenzo’s balloon installations have earned him several awards.

The 38-year-old Elk Grove Village native was known as a people person and is being remembered for the many relationships he formed and experiences he made special.

DeLorenzo was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma — a blood cancer — in 2022 and was treated at Northwestern Memorial Hospital until he died on Oct. 24.

“He was one of the most unique people that I will ever know. He had the ability to draw people in and he made friends no matter where he went,” Tommy’s husband Scott DeLorenzo said.

DeLorenzo grew up in Elk Grove Village with older siblings Debbie Strohm and Mike DeLorenzo. Even as a young boy, those around could see how special he was.

“He was always inquisitive, always up for an adventure,” Strohm said. “He had a huge heart and could not bear to see anyone sad or suffering. He helped me hang onto that childhood wonder that you often lose when you grow, and taught me how to find joy in the simplest things. Tommy was that person that you just had to be around. There was something about him that just made you feel so good. And I believe that is his real legacy.”

DeLorenzo’s love for balloons was evident long before he began his business.

“No matter what array of gifts he had in front of him, his favorite was always a helium Mylar balloon hidden inside a box,” Strohm said.

DeLorenzo later majored in communications at Northern Illinois University. He met Scott in 2013 at a Mardi Gras event in St. Louis. After three months of daily phone calls, Scott relocated to Illinois to be with DeLorenzo full-time. They married in July 2016 and lived in Bensenville with their two dogs, Dandy and Disco.

Thomas DeLorenzo, right, who started Balloons By Tommy at age 14, died Oct. 24 after a battle with cancer. The 38-year-old Elk Grove Village native was widely known for his balloon designs, which earned him several awards. Here he is pictured with his husband, Scott, and two pet dogs.
Courtesy of Scott DeLorenzo

DeLorenzo’s parents were the reason he had such a great joy for life, Scott DeLorenzo said.

“They used to throw parties all the time. They’re adventurous people,” Scott DeLorenzo said. “The strength of this family is so strong … they’ve all been just phenomenal.”

Before his death, DeLorenzo’s friend and mentor, Treb Heining, who also is deeply involved in the balloon entertainment industry, arranged a balloon drop at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in his honor.

“Heining usually handles the DNC … so he brought up the idea of doing this tribute to Tommy,” Scott DeLorenzo said. “Everyone came in from all over the United States … we had many balloon people that just adored Tommy.”

Though DeLorenzo couldn’t be there to experience the event firsthand, his friends were able to visit him in the hospital.

“He taught us all how to share genuine kindness, how to live enthusiastically, follow your dreams, and to cherish every moment. I hope I can make him proud by living what he modeled,” Strohm said.

Visitation for DeLorenzo will be from 2 to 7 p.m. Nov. 3 at Chandlers Banquets, 401 N. Roselle Road, Schaumburg. A service of remembrance will be held at 6 p.m. Attendees are urged to dress in bright colors. Donations for funeral arrangements and visitation can be sent through https://gofund.me/520bc775.



Source link