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Northampton Community College Student Dies After Valiant Leukemia Battle, 18

Lehigh Valley native and Northampton Community College student Thomas R. “Tommy” Stackhouse died at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia on Thursday, May 26 following a long and valiant battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. He was 18.

Lehigh Valley native and Northampton Community College student Thomas R. “Tommy” Stackhouse died at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia on Thursday, May 26 following a long and valiant battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. He was 18.

Lehigh Valley native and Northampton Community College student Thomas R. “Tommy” Stackhouse died at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia on Thursday, May 26 following a long and valiant battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. He was 18.

Photo Credit: GoFundMe Screengrab

Born in Phillipsburg, Tommy grew up in Bangor, where he managed the varsity football team and intramural bowling league before graduating in 2021 as homecoming king, his obituary says.

Tommy then went on to study special education at Northampton Community College and had maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA.

Tommy is remembered for his love of snowmobiling, collecting model trains, Legos, the New York Jets, and four-wheeling.

He leaves behind his loving parents, Robert J. and Shelly (Commins) Stackhouse; his maternal grandparents, Thomas and Carol Commins; paternal grandparents, Beverly Stackhouse and Robert Stackhouse; aunts, Kelly Rasmussen, wife of Jesse, Kerri Frye, wife of Art; uncle Steven Stackhouse, as well as numerous extended family members, close friends, and two cats, Spirit and Phantom.

Meanwhile, nearly $4,100 had been raised for Tommy’s treatments on a GoFundMe called “Team Tommy” that began documenting the Lehigh Valley native’s difficult journey in 2019.

Tommy’s funeral was held at James J. Palmeri Funeral Home in Martins Creek on Saturday, June 4.

Donations can be made in Tommy’s memory to the Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley (2132 South 12th Street, Allentown, PA 18103) or Foxy’s Cradle (5260 Overlook Rd., Coplay, PA 18037).

“Tommy brought such joy to your life,” reads a tribute on Tommy’s memorial.

“May the sweet memories stay in your heart forever.”

Click here to view the full obituary of Thomas R.” Tommy” Stackhouse.

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