Tom Pace is from Garden City, NY and his gymnastics career is a testament to resilience and determination, and at 16, he was a top-ranked gymnast and Olympic prospect before a catastrophic neck injury during a routine training session left him temporarily paralyzed from the neck down. 

Despite a one year recovery and being advised by his doctor against returning to gymnastics, Tom continued to pursue his passion with sports. He gradually rebuilt his strength, starting from basic moves, and earned NCAA All-American honors on high bar at D2, Cortland State University. 

Determined to compete at a higher level, he transferred to D1, California State College at Fullerton, on a gymnastics schorlship  where he overcame physical and psychological hurdles to compete in all six gymnastics events and became a team leader and conference champion on the high bar. Though the injury altered his trajectory, Tom's comeback placed him among the top competitors, qualifying for the 1984 Olympic trials and achieving a level of personal satisfaction and completion of his childhood dreams. His journey reflects his Zorba-like intensity for life, inspiring others facing similar challenges and proving the power of perseverance