Friends and family honored the late Thomas Capozziello with the unveiling of a special monument at the skate park in Dickinson Park on September 4. The ceremony was hosted by Newtown Parks and Recreation.

Thomas’s passion for skating, his efforts in making the skate park a reality, and the joy he brought those close to him were celebrated. Many friends also hopped on their boards to enjoy some of the same park features Thomas used, along with some of its recent additions.

“One thing that Thomas was always good at was bringing people together, and that’s why we’re all here today,” Patrick Capozziello, Thomas’s brother, said to the crowd of two-or-so dozen family members and skate park supporters. “He was like an icon over here at the skate park. He was really part of the skate park. This new monument really solidifies that.”

In 2007, Thomas and his mom, Lori, started “Donate to Skate” to jump-start a Newtown skate park. Through fundraisers and local events, they raised more than $100,000; in 2011, their dreams came to fruition and the Newtown Skate Park became a reality.

Newtown Parks and Recreation Director Amy Mangold recalls the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the park on a snowy December day ten years ago.

“The first person here that day, shoveling snow off, was Thomas. He was my ambassador of this park,” Mangold said. “The sun is shining and it’s a representation of the light that Thomas always brought to this park.”

“He was a big, big part of creating this skate park,” said Thomas’s dad, Chris Capozziello, who expressed his appreciation to the many people who also contributed to the venue.

The monument included his nickname, “Tom Caps,” a message about Thomas, and the phrase “Live Like Tom.”

“He was such a cool person — dedicated to skating, music, and friendship,” Lori Capozziello said.

The ceremony also celebrated a continuation of the efforts put forth by Thomas and his family. Recent additions and upgrades to the park include a quarter pipe, a new entrance with a ledge, new railing, a wall ridge upgrade, and a Jersey barrier relocation within the park.

Chris Capozziello encouraged young skaters to use the park and enjoy it. “Hopefully, it stays here forever. I hope it gets bigger,” he said.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.