Taxi driver receives ‘hospitality hero’ award
Paradise Beach Taxi driver Tom Young enjoys living and working on a family-style island and he believes in helping out his “brothers and sisters” in time of need.
Young is the March recipient of the Hospitality Heroes Award, an award that the Greater Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Island Sand Paper have partnered in to honor hospitality industry front-line employees from restaurants, accommodations, retail shops or other tourism industry service providers on or near Fort Myers Beach in the months of February, March, April and May.
Best Western Plus Beach Resort General Manager Tim Malbon came up with the concept of acknowledging beach employees for the monthly honor.
“We’re a small little island, and we are family on this Beach,” said Young. “I like to help people because we all help each other, if it’s a friend in need, a neighbor or someone just walking down the street. Right now, we are lost in a world of traffic and snowbirds. But, if it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t have this Beach.”
The recipient was called a hero at the Beach Chamber breakfast at Charley’s Boat House Grill last Thursday and received a check for $500. He is no stranger to lending a helping hand, especially if it leads to saving someone’s life.
While stationed at The Mermaid Lounge parking lot weeks ago, Young was approached by a man who stated he thought he was having a heart attack, then dropped to the ground and became unconscious. Young called 911, and followed instructions on how to administer CPR when he noticed the man was not breathing.
After what seemed like forever, an ambulance arrived and the EMTs revived the heart attack victim.
The heroic act was not the only kind service Young did that day. He stated he also gave a lady an umbrella when she was stuck in a downpour, jumped a car battery for a man who was stranded on the side of the road and gave $3 to someone who needed gas for his vehicle.
Two years ago, Young was stuck in traffic in a taxi van when he saw smoke coming out of a window at Gulf Motel by Topps Supermarket. He pulled his taxi into the center lane, ran to the hotel room and made sure the woman and two children inside got out.
‘Taxi Tom,’ as he is known, has also been known to return left-behind wallets to customers or ones he finds on the side of the road. Talk about going way beyond the call of duty.
The Beach resident was nominated by Tim Williams, owner of the Paradise Beach Taxi and Local Motion Taxi companies.
“Twice this year he has gone as far as pay for rooms for people in a bad spot who have lost either their wallet or purse late at night on the Beach,” said Williams. “We always have had the policy of returning phones or wallets, but he will do so on his time off. At times, people take advantage of his big heart. He will pay for people that are short on cab fair. Tom Young is the heart and soul of Paradise Beach Taxi.”
You can usually find Young inside a Paradise Beach Taxi van parked at The Mermaid Lounge when he not on a fare. He appreciates the establishment so much for allowing him to park there that he’ll even pick up cigarette butts and trash off the parking lot surface as a return gesture.
When asked what he’ll do with his $500 tip, he smiled and said he would “give it to Tim.” One can be unsure if that was a joke or another pay-it-back measure.
Nominations for the Hospitality Heroes Award will be accepted from business owners or managers. They close the final day of each month. Pick up forms at the Beach Chamber.
Each month, a winner will be selected randomly at the Beach Chamber luncheon.
Call 454-7500 for more information.