(WEST SENECA, NEW YORK) – I’ve known Bill Thompson for more than 20 years now and I certainly consider him a good friend of mine - and even though he’s gotten up there in years, and now lives in a West Seneca Assisted Living Center, I still keep in touch with him and make an effort to go visit him from time to time.

And in light of what recently happened with Bill, I’m glad I have.

For background purposes, Bill - who just turned 80 in September, started as a Member of the Buffalo Steamfitters Union back in 1963. 

He became Business Manager of the Local in 1977 and played a major role in helping execute the creation of a Supplemental Pension for the Local’s Members, which means now, Bill tells me, that his Union’s Membership (which was around 105 at the time) who’ve put in their time are retiring with a pension of anywhere from $700,000 to $1 million - which is amazing.

“‘My goal was to always take care of the Members and I wanted to have them set up when they retired,’” Bill told me during a recent visit to the nursing/retirement home where he now lives.  “I ‘was always honest with them - no B.S.’  ‘The only thing I had with them was my word and if my word was no good, I was no good.’”

The Sprinklerfitters later merged with Buffalo-headquartered Plumbers Local 22 and Bill remained extremely busy and committed to his new Union’s nearly 900 Members.

But even though he retired in 2001, Bill agreed to take on the job of Treasurer of the Buffalo Building & Construction Trades Council (that’s where I really got to know him while serving as the Trades’ Public Relations Director and hosting a TV show called Building our Future back in the early 2000s).  He finally retired from that position in 2012.

Over the years Bill would leave a message for me on voice mail, calling me: Tommy Campbellini, which always made me laugh. 

It never failed to prompt me to give him a quick call back to check up on him, find out what was going on in his life and share some memories, which were always great - no matter how many times they were repeated.

A couple of years ago, Bill’s wife passed away and his health began to deteriorate. 

He then began battling a number of wearing health problems and it was apparent that he could no longer live in the home he owned. 

Needing care, Bill moved into a nearby assisted living center.

He rides a red motorized vehicle now as he has had trouble with his legs.

Earlier this month, and after it being several weeks since I last talked to him, I gave him a call to set up a time to meet before Christmas. 

I felt guilty, to tell the truth, that it had taken me so long to reconnect since our last get-together, where we sat for more than an hour, drinking coffee - and mostly laughing.

But when Bill returned my call, I nearly fell off my seat as he told me that he had “nearly died” a week or so earlier after his spleen ruptured. 

Rushed to a local hospital, Bill said Doctors told him that he “might not make it through the operation,” he said.

Bill replied that he was okay with that and asked if he came out of surgery in a coma that Physicians only give him 30 days before “pulling the plug.”

When I went to see Bill, who was wearing a festive red fedora (Pictured Above/WNYLaborToday.com Photo) and listened to him re-tell the story - I could not imagine what he has had to deal with in his life.

But then he told me something that he said happened while he was under that simply floored me.

During surgery, Bill said he saw himself enter a long, white hallway, which he walked down.

As he came closer to the end his heart began to race, he said.

He believed he had died and gone to heaven.

Excited about seeing his wife, mother and father and other deceased relatives, Bill said at the end of the hallway there was a “big room” - which he entered.

But it was empty.

“‘There was no one there to meet me,’” said Bill, who was under the impression that based on other near-death experiences he had read about that there would indeed be a number of loved ones there to greet him.

“‘I was disappointed, then I was sad, then angry because there was no one there.’  ‘My feelings were hurt,’” he said.

So Bill said “screw it,” turned around and walked back down the white hallway.

“‘I guess they didn’t want me there,’” he laughed.

When he came out of surgery, a Nurse told him he was “white as a ghost.”

When we met, I told him: “‘It just wasn’t your time.’”

As we sipped on our coffee and talked about the meaning of his near-death experience, it occurred to me Bill was sent back to continue to look out for the center’s residents, which he’s done for quite some time now.

“‘I guess I hadn’t fulfilled my purpose in life.’  ‘Maybe I have to stay here a little longer to help these people,” he said, matter-of-factly.

As a former Union Leader, Bill isn’t shy when he sees something wrong or when another resident is being taken advantage of - for example, getting into disagreements with management, he said with a smile.

“‘I’m keeping them on their toes,’” he said.  

Bill also plays a variety of music for the center’s residents on an iPad he has, fielding requests and bringing about a host of memories each holds dear as they listen to the songs and their lyrics.

“They call me the ‘Music Man,’” he smiled.

As we talked, a number of residents passed by - some turning around to take another look at who Bill was talking to.

As I walked into the facility that afternoon, there were several residents, sitting alone in the lobby, gazing out the front window, maybe hoping someone would come to see them and share some memories.

“‘I wish people would come to see them,’” Bill told me.  “‘Some of them have kids, but they don’t come.’  ‘It’s like they’ve been sent to prison by their family.’  ‘They should be visited because they would be glad to see them.’  ‘Right now, all the activity they have is to get on the center’s bus and go to the local Dollar General.’”

The center’s working Staff has been good, Bill says, but they need to be paid more for what they do and to help recruit more Staff to take care of the residents there.

With a new lease on life, Bill too would love to see his old friends - especially those in the Labor Movement, but he’s not letting that get him down.

“‘I’d like to see them, I liked them all, but I’m looking to live my life and laugh like hell,’” he said.

I’m glad I’ve taken the time to reconnect with Bill and go and see him, hopefully more in 2024.

But as I left the center and looked over at some of its residents sitting alone in that lobby, either staring a hole in the ground or catatonically looking out the window - I hoped that anyone who reads this column will find the time to call someone they know who are in a nursing home, a retirement home or in assisted living center and visit them.

It would be a tremendous Christmas gift to give to someone you know.

Heck, for that matter, it’s a wonderful gift to give during any time of the year.

I’m glad I have.