Bethel Boy’s Last Wish a Gift for the Town

Before Bethel High School (BHS) freshman Thomas Fritch succumbed to his battle with cancer, he made a request of the Make-A-Wish Foundation to do something special for Bethel schools and the Bethel Middle School (BMS) media center he spent so much time in.

Thomas passed on Nov. 13 before his dream could be realized but Make-A-Wish and Bethel educators plan to see it through in the form of a mural in the front entrance of the media center.

“Thomas’ wish was to give back to the school,” BMS Principal Derek Muharem said, noting, “He could have wished for anything else,” though he wasn’t surprised by the “amazing, selfless act.”

Muharem was an advisor to Thomas’ class and spent time with him all three years he was at BMS. He remembered Thomas as thoughtful and kind.

“He was a kid who always had a smile,” Muharem said.

He also remembers getting a pie to the face.

“One year during the pep rally, Thomas won the chance to put a pie in my face — a time I’ll never forget,” he said.

And that is Thomas’ legacy: a kind, friendly boy who would just as soon put a pie in your face.

“He was always happy, always wanted to be in the middle of everything,” said family friend Kristin Sprock, whose three sons have been life-long friends of Thomas and his brother Jack. “He was a free spirit,” if not somewhat of a prankster, she added.

“He was never thinking of himself,” Sprock’s oldest son, Hunter, 16, remembered, though that included bringing others into his mischief.

Hunter cited camping trips to Lake Waramaug where Thomas would cause trouble and “bring us down with him.”

Logan Sprock, who is same age as Thomas, 14, agreed, remembering a time when Thomas was fooling around and lost his shoe in the fire and another where he goaded them into getting into trouble playing with the hotdog roasting sticks.

But it was all in good fun.

“He was a very fun, happy guy,” 11-year-old Nathan Sprock said. “He never looked down on anything or anyone.”

The Sprock boys think those qualities should come out in the mural.

“Definitely the beach,” Hunter suggested, adding that it should also have bright colors. “He was always in bright colors at the beach because was always running away… He likes bright colors and likes the beach.”

Logan’s idea was both simpler and broader at the same time.

“He would like to see happiness,” he said.

Make-A-Wish is currently working on the details of the project, according to Superintendent Dr. Kevin Smith, and while there isn’t a timeline yet, the project is moving forward.

“We are absolutely going to do a mural and will probably find another way to memorialize Thomas as well,” Smith said. “Everyone loved him. He was an incredibly generous kid. Friendly, outgoing, caring — just a beautiful little guy.”

“He was going to grow up to be a great man and a great dad, just like his dad,” Kristin Sprock said. “He was destined to be a great guy.”

“The town of Bethel was very fortunate to have him,” Muharem said. “I’m looking forward to [the mural] and having his memory live on here.”