South Plains veteran gets honorable send-off at UMC after passing

LUBBOCK, Texas — Lubbock veterans lost a special member in their community last week when 70-year-old Tom Sandoval passed away. The veteran served for three years in the United States Marine Corps and worked at Home Depot in Lubbock for 15 years, but he suddenly fell into a coma a few weeks ago.

When a friend found out about his state, they realized he was alone at the hospital.

“He’d been there five days, and nobody knew he was there,” Jeff Edwards, a friend of Sandoval’s, said.

Sandoval wasn’t alone much longer. After getting word, fellow veterans and Sandoval’s co-workers at Home Depot stepped in as his family and joined him at University Medical Center.

“He remained in the hospital for about another week, and I don’t think there was a time when people weren’t there with him,” Edwards said.

When Sandoval passed away last Thursday, his new family waited along the hallways of the UMC for his honorable send-off. His Home Depot friends paid their respects with a Home Depot cheer, and his brothers in combat did the same by giving salutes and playing taps.

“It doesn’t matter if I’ve never met you, I had never met Tom. There is automatic care and love for that veteran just as though they’re a brother or they’re a sister, and I don’t know how to describe it any other than it’s a bond that we all have,” Sarah Weede, Commander at the Lubbock VFW Post 2466 said.

Now, Lubbock VFW is trying to make sure no veteran spends the end of their life alone again, which is why they’re stressing the importance of ensuring all veterans have a will finalized in an emergency.

“Nobody should be alone in that kind of situation. Anything we could do so that nobody has to be that way again,” Edwards said.

Weede said since Sandoval’s passing, they found his family members, who will be at his funeral this weekend. They’re encouraging any and all veterans who can, to join his service on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Combest Funeral Home. They also encouraged veterans to join local veteran groups.

“We’re your family. We are your family, and we are here to help you whether you have family or not,” Weede said.

Weede also recommended veterans register with the VA and pre-register for the West Texas Veterans Cemetery .

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