Sad news - RIP Tom Wetzel

[Ken Kurtis]

I'm sorry to be the one to have to report that longtime NAUI Instructor, Chamber Day committee member, and friend Tom Wetzel, died of an apparent heart attack this morning at his home in Inglewood. I don't have further details or word on services but will try to pass that along once I know. Great loss to the diving community.

- Ken

 

[Sam Miller III]

What sad news !

Tom was well known and respected in the LA County Underwater Instructors Association aka UIA where he was first certified as a LA Co UW instructor. After graduation he became very active in all aspects of their programs, the yearly 3 Rs , the worlds first Advanced Diver Program 3 month long LA Co ADP and the very prestigious never equaled Underwater Instructors Certification Program (UICC) (now in its 64 year.!)


I have taken the liberty of e mailing the core member of the LA Co Instructors of Tom's passing-- all are in shock and disbelief and many who live locally would like to attend his services.

It would be appreciated if you would either post or PM any and all information you may have on Tom

SDM

 

[Scubatude]

So sad.

Tom was a good guy. He was always willing to help out, and always passionate about diving and dive training.

RIP Tom.

 

[drbill]

Tom will be missed. My condolences to his family and friends. The dive park will be a tad lonelier without the walrus (a part he played in one of my videos).

 

[Sam Miller III]

@Ken Kurtis & @drbill

Ken & Bill
What great pictures of Tom !
I knew him as a strapping young man and a mature adult with grey hair -- both pictures bring back memories of events and years of the past

Thanks for posting

SDM

 

[The Chairman]

Via con Dios, Tom! You will be missed!

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I had several long distance interactions with Tom. Very nice guy. RIP

 

[ramin nekoukar]

RIP Tom Wetzel

Many memories of the summer of training. the deep dive that he calmly had me do the meergency ascend or teh night dive when got attached by a sea bass and he tried to make laugh by putting a starfish me (ended up pushing my goggle off my face at 80 ft deep in the dark at night). He was a tough trainer but once you get trained by him you knew that you can react properly when situations occurred. That is a true testiment of a good instructor. he will be missed.

 

[Divebum Don]

Tom was a stand up guy, proud member of all his L.A. teams, kind of a roadstead on and off the water, calm and reassuring ;~) Will miss you mate

 

[Dan Roberts]

Great picture of Tom - and such very sad news. Tom certified me as a Junior Diver way back when I was 11, and I just turned 50 this past January 19th. Years later I gave my wife SCUBA lessons for our first Anniversary, and after doing her class work here in Denver, Tom did her checkout dives and certified her. I had hopes that he might certify my daughter, now 11, who can't wait to learn to dive. Over the many years of diving and travels, time and again people have asked me where I learned to dive and who taught me? Easy answer - this amazing instructor named Tom Wetzel. I spent years with his "Family Dive Club" getting picked up from school on Friday afternoons by other divers as I could not drive, and later on driving myself to this spot or that one. I love the sport and the underwater world - and that joy is so much a part of what Tom helped to develop. He was a very good friend of my parents too, and even got to know and help my grandparents years ago. Hear is to you Tom - and all the people who you helped discover the fun of the underwater world. Miss you very much, my old friend.