Thomas Patrick Collins, 58, entered Eternal Rest on August 6, 2024, after a courageous two-year battle with cancer. He peacefully passed while next to his loving wife Donna of 35 years. Tom was a beloved son, husband, father, grandfather, and friend.

Tom was born in Bridgeport, CT on April 19, 1966, and grew up in Bridgeport and Stratford. He was a graduate of Bunnell High School Class of 1984 and then attended Southern Connecticut State University to pursue a career in the healthcare field. Tom was a paramedic for Norwalk Hospital for 20 years, serving alongside crewmates who became lifelong friends. After starting a family, Tom went back to school to earn his MBA in Business Administration with a concentration in Healthcare to pursue a career that would allow him to spend more time at home with his family. He worked in Quality and Patient Safety for various hospitals around Connecticut for the next 15 years.

A caring and loving man of faith, Tom was a man who put his family and loved ones first. He greatly enjoyed going on trips and traveling with his family. Activities he enjoyed include skiing, scuba diving, hunting, and biking. While undergoing chemotherapy treatment, his determination led him to fundraise and participate in the 40-mile Closer to Free Ride in September 2023 to raise money for the Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center. He was an avid woodworker who greatly enjoyed the challenge of fixing things and crafting pieces as gifts for his loved ones. A few years after Tom and Donna married, they purchased land and built themselves a house. They spent the next three decades making that house a home for their family to love and grow.

Tom is survived by his wife Donna of Stratford, his two daughters, Laura Donovan (Ryan) of Stratford and Nicole Collins of Stratford. He was the proud grandfather of two cherished grandchildren, Sam and Addie Donovan, who brought immense joy to his life. Tom is also survived by his father, Andrew Tarczali of Stratford, his brother, Jimmy Collins (Leslie) of Florida, his aunt, Deborah Serbin of Florida, and several cousins, nieces, and nephews, all of whom he loved very much. Tom is predeceased by his mother, Maureen Tarczali.

Visitation on Friday, August 9, 2024, from 4:00-7:00 pm in the Adzima Funeral Home 50 Paradise Green Place Stratford, CT.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, August 10, 2024, at 10:00 am meeting directly at St. Mark Church 500 Wigwam Lane Stratford, CT. Interment will follow in St. Michael's Cemetery, Stratford.