Jack Thomas, a recent Terry Fox Secondary graduate, has perseverance that can’t be shaken.

The 18-year-old Port Coquitlam student has been developing a love for music since he was a young boy. As young as age three, he would sidle up to the piano at any opportunity to see what he could do. Thomas has played bass guitar for nine years and took up drumming about five years ago.

When the time came for Thomas to enter secondary school, he opted to attend Terry Fox Secondary so that he could participate in the school’s long-running “rock school” program. He says it was one of the best choices he’s ever made. In the rock school program, his teacher, program founder Steve Sainas, guides students through the process of forming and managing a band. The final exam is a concert performance called Rock the Fox, a big production which features students’ bands and sells out multiple shows.

The young musician is no stranger to adversity, either. The weekend before starting his Grade 12 year, Thomas’s right arm was severed in a workplace accident. Rather than giving up on drumming, he displayed incredible perseverance and worked hard to get back to doing what he loves.

Eager to get back to school and show his friends that he was going to be okay, Thomas visited Terry Fox Secondary just 11 days after the accident. Remarkably, on that visit he got back behind the drum set, jamming with friends.

After recovering from the accident, Thomas returned to school determined to try hard and succeed in spite of his injury. He completed all his courses, continued to play the drums and enjoyed his final year at Terry Fox Secondary. Several Port Coquitlam community members who recognized Thomas’s inspiring journey nominated him for a Tri-City REACH (Recognizing Efforts and Achievements Across Community & Home) Award for Overcoming Adversity. To Thomas’s surprise, he was presented with the award on stage at the Rock the Fox show this year. It was an uplifting moment for him.

Thomas is grateful for the extraordinary support he has received from his friends, family and community since the accident. He is honoured to have been recognized as someone who has been able to overcome such adversity.

With the background he’s gained in music production from the rock school program, Thomas plans to follow his passion for music into the future. Since graduating, he has been accepted to the Nimbus School of Recording Arts and Media in Vancouver. He plans to study advanced audio engineering and music production – and he couldn’t be happier.

Check out more B.C. student success stories!