Thomas Leo Nolan Jr.

Tom Nolan, Jr. (Tommy) was taken from us in a tragic automobile accident on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, after a long and courageous battle with mental illness. Tommy was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on September 27, 1963, on the feast of Saint Vincent de Paul, to his father, Tom Nolan, Sr., and late mother, Carole Jeanne Nolan. Tommy led a life of intense suffering but never gave up. He maintained a positive attitude throughout most of his life. In his early twenties, he entered the seminary and was studying and preparing to become a Catholic priest. One summer break, while living at home, he met a lovely girl and fell in love. He struggled to discern whether or not he was called to the priesthood or to the married state. He eventually discerned that he was not called to the priesthood. However, during this time he also suffered greatly through the severe test of a chemical imbalance which led to a psychotic episode that changed his life forever. He was in the hospital for six months until his doctor was finally able to figure out the correct medication for him. Once that happened, he returned home but was never the same again.
His family agonized over his mental deterioration, but Tom and Jeanne's strong faith in God and His Providence was the rock on which the family leaned. During this time of darkness and pain, Jeanne read Pope Saint John Paul II's encyclical on "The Christian Meaning of Human Suffering" (Salvifici Doloris) which enabled her to find peace and to pass that peace on to the rest of the family. After this time of intense suffering and confusion, Tommy gradually regained the ability to function in daily life but led a very simple way of life. For the next 20 years he maintained a strong faith in God and focused on loving his family and six nieces and nephews. "He was the best uncle!" they all fondly recall. He would play with them for hours upon hours. He held simple jobs and was eventually able to live on his own. In 2006, however, he suffered another bout with a chemical imbalance and psychotic episode that was ultimately diagnosed as "Schizoaffective Disorder." Unfortunately, the sickness affected his thinking and at this point he decided that he would no longer take any type of medication because he didn't like the way it made him feel and he didn't think he needed it. Because he was an adult, there was nothing his family could do about this. His ability to reason was lost and his simple life began to fall apart. He eventually lost his apartment and had to move back in with his parents, Tom and Jeanne. This was a very difficult period for everyone because the sickness made him dangerously angry. He ended up in the hospital but was only kept there for three days and then released without notifying the family. They eventually found out that his plan was to walk/hitchhike to California. This began the last period of his life where he would live as a homeless person for the next 18 years as he traveled all over the United States. Over those years he would come home at different times but he always left again a few days later. His family continually pleaded with him to stay and to take his medicine but he would not even consider it. Of course the family was distraught about this and continually prayed for God's help and guidance. Jeanne continually felt the Lord telling her "I want what you do not want, but I can do what you cannot do." From hindsight it could be seen what was meant by this. "I want what you do not want" = The family did not want him to live this way but it was an unfortunate situation with no human solution because the family had no legal recourse to help him. However, they eventually realized that this walking and traveling from city to city was actually good for Tommy. It kept him moving and, with this continual activity, his anger issues went away. When he came home for a visit he was always positive and joyful. He continually talked about his faith in God and read the bible from cover to cover many times. "But I can do what you cannot do" = There are so many people who help the homeless every day in very generous ways. God inspired many of those people to help Tommy, and because of their acts of love, he had a continuous supply of money, food, and hotel rooms for days and even weeks at a time. One person even let him stay in a trailer on his property for several months; another person let him stay in his second home for a few months. Sadly, on February 4, 2025, he was walking on the side of a 2-lane highway, as he had done for the last 18 years, however, this would be his last time. The police report stated: "According to the DPS Sergeant Justin Ruiz, a 2002 Ford-150 was traveling northbound on the highway when it had to move onto the shoulder to avoid colliding with another vehicle driving southbound in the northbound lane. The driver of the Ford then struck the pedestrian, who was walking on the northbound shoulder. The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene."
Tommy is preceded in death by his sister, Patricia Nolan and four other siblings; his mother, Carol Jeanne Nolan, and his nephew, Brett Thomas. Left to mourn Tommy's passing is his father, Deacon Thomas Nolan, his two sisters, Terri Thomas (Dan) and Kristy Moeves (Dave); his dear nieces, Nicole Grayson (Sam), Eryn Rice (Hunter) and Avery Moeves; his nephews, Tanner Moeves, Grant Moeves, and Luke Moeves (Brooke); his great-niece, Indy Rice and his great-nephews, Cash and Bowie Grayson. A visitation will take place on Saturday, March 22, 2025 at St. Timothy Catholic Church, 10272 US 42, Union, Kentucky beginning at 9:00 a.m. until the time of Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. A reception will immediately follow. In lieu of flowers please consider having a Catholic Mass offered for the repose of his soul and helping a homeless person in some way. One suggestion is to make a donation to your local Society of Saint Vincent De Paul in Tommy's name. Stith Funeral Home is serving the family. Online condolences and memories may be left for the family by visiting www.stithfuneralhome.com