[dropcap]M[/dropcap]y Father In Law, Tom King, aka Tom E. Boy is a survivor. He lived through the Vietnam War, Cancer and a Stroke. When I think of Tom, I think of how brave he is. It is like one day he decided he wanted to be a professional clown even though he had no background experience as an amateur clown. When he puts his mind to something it happens.
His King family stubbornness and perseverance is in part how he beat Cancer. He would not attribute it that way. Tom says it was in part Caring Clowns that visited the hospital, laughing that helped him.
What Did Tom E. Boy Do?
He took that life experience and gave back as Tom E. Boy. He not only did work as a caring clown for hospitals and nursing homes but taught others how to as well.
His career is too long to fully enumerate and goes beyond what you would read about him in several issues of Calliope. He had wanted to do something with the historic State Theater in Point Pleasant West Virginia for years. So he did. He ran it for years hosting a variety of bands and entertainers.
As his career progressed he met Jessica, Gaby the clown. Then the stroke happened.
Article: Clown Vows To Continue Career After Stroke
Tom and Jessica got married and became an unstoppable clown force.
Tom didn’t let that beat him either, in his marriage, with his family, or his career. It took some time to get back on track but he did. Things are not the same now. He was also very emotive and he has cultivated that more, being able to depend more on his face than his words. That is a task not all clowns could pull off.
I believe he can do anything he puts his mind too.