04/10/2026
Who is “TK”? 🇺🇸
Great question!
In honor of his birthday, April 10th, we would like to introduce you to the namesake of “TK’s.”
Major Thomas E. Kennedy is our family’s American hero.
Born on Easter Sunday in 1977, “TK,” as his friends called him, was killed in action in Afghanistan on August 8, 2012. A West Point graduate and Army Ranger, Major Kennedy was a defensemen on the Black Knight ice hockey team and earned his Masters in organizational psychology at Columbia University. A decorated officer, he served in Iraq and Afghanistan earning two Bronze Stars, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, Valorous Unit Award and a Purple Heart. 💜
By all accounts, Major Kennedy led his soldiers with integrity, compassion, wit, optimism, and loyal patriotism.
To us, he was John’s little brother; Kami’s husband; and Brody and Maggie’s dad. TK loved his family, his friends, ice hockey, golf, a cold Guinness, and the New York Yankees.
One of his soldiers had this to say about TK: “He was everything we wanted to be. Every one of us wanted to be just like him, or at least something close to his example. It wasn’t because he was the fastest or strongest or smartest. It was because he was the best of us. A leader who cared about every single person.”
Tell us about your family’s American Hero! We would love to hear it.
