Mourning Tommy DeLorenzo

Tommy DeLorenzo, the beloved Chicagoan whose colorful balloon messages were a popular and powerful part of numerous local Pride Parades, passed away October 24. His husband, Scott, reported that Tommy passed away peacefully and comfortably in his sleep while Scott held his hand.

“While the last 3 months have been one battle after another, his final day was calm and full of family and love. We shared with him our favorite memories, our assurances, many tears and some silence,” Scott wrote on Facebook. “His army of medical professionals literally tried everything they could, and I am so thankful for them. He fought so hard to live and I am so proud and grateful for that.

“I’m so proud of who he was. I’m lucky to have been the one he chose to build a life with. Over the past 11 years, there hasn’t been a day that’s gone by that we haven’t talked, or texted and rarely were there days that I wouldn’t see him. I will miss his laugh because it made me want to be funnier. I will miss the way he looked at me because it made me want to love harder. I will miss his hug because it made me want to be stronger.

“This is going to take time for me to learn to live without the person I couldn’t live without. I promised Tommy that I will be okay and eventually I will be. In these last few months, we’ve talked about The Amazing Life we’ve had together and also the things that he was scared to miss so I promised he wouldn’t miss them because I would carry him with me. ‘You will continue to experience life. If not through your eyes, then through mine.’ I do not intend to let him down.”

Services for Tommy DeLorenzo will be held on Sunday, November 3rd and Monday, November 4th. A GoFundMe account was established while Tommy was undergoing treatment for stage 4 cancer. To donate, with new funds used to fund the services, go to: https://gofund.me/69d0e12b.

“BG Pride is devastated by the loss of one of the most brilliant, kind, talented individuals that ever lived,” said Carolyn Pinta of The Pinta Project, which runs the annual Buffalo Grove Pride, which has for years featured the handy work of DeLorenzo and Balloons By Tommy. In fact, the parade marshals for the 2023 BG Pride Parade spouses Scott and Tommy DeLorenzo, of Bensenville.

“Balloons by Tommy has created all of the magic for more than twenty large events over the past six years. There is no replacement for his positive spirit and we have no words to express our sorrow for Scott and the entire incredible Balloons by Tommy team.”

Balloons By Tommy was a fixture at the start of the annual Chicago Pride Parade – from 2010 through 2022, highlighted by 2015 parade, which occurred two days after marriage equality passed – and the balloon bunch celebrated with one simple, festive word: VICTORY.

“The Chicago Pride Parade is the most loving and accepting place in the world,” Tommy told GoPride.com in June 2023. DeLorenzo was the owner/operator of Balloons by Tommy LLC, along with his husband, Scott. “People are free to be their authentic selves and are celebrated, which is beautiful. It also is amazing to see our art appreciated by a cheering crowd.

DeLorenzo battled stage 4 lymphoma for years and was honored this past August to a worldwide audience. That’s when more than 50 other balloon artists from across North America rallied to assist DeLorenzo, who was commissioned to provide balloon artistry at the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago. The volunteers assembled more than 100,000 balloons to be dropped following the acceptance speech by Vice President Kamala Harris.

Treb Heining, a California balloon artist, organized what became the Volunteer Balloons by Tommy DNC Balloon Crew – and it took two days to prepare the massive balloon drop.

The balloon-drop sent tens of thousands of red, white and blue balloons descending from the rafters and onto the stage where Harris stood with her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, family members and onto thousands of delegates seated in the United Center.

Social media was, naturally, abuzz with loving memories and tributes to DeLorenzo.

“You have given me memories I will cherish forever. Love you and I’ll miss you dearly,” said Michael Wyatt Komar.

“What a wonderful human this world has lost … cancer sucks,” said Donna Bock.

“He was the kindest, silliest, most talented and loving person I’ve had the pleasure of knowing,” said Suzanne Lively. “His husband and pups will miss him terribly. I am so happy he was a part of my life. Fly high you wonderful man. You made a positive difference in the world.”

Florida-based owner of The Balloon Guild tagged DeLorenzo as a “legend” in the balloon industry. “He was always a beacon of light and love and kindness.”

Nicholas Schreiber noted that “if anyone has ever seen (balloons) at any events in Chicago, they were most likely (from) Tommy DeLorenzo. He put so much good into the universe, so much happiness, so much joy.”

JT Mungo-Speer of Chicago said, “The mark he made on each of us, and this city, will never be erased.”