Meet Thomas
Our Reason Why
Our inspiration, Thomas Behen, is the definition of a person who followed his true passion from an incredibly young age. It was a journey that began at only 2 years old when Thomas was caught playing in the small fish tank, we got for him. When asked what he was doing, he said, “I was just playing with him Mumma.” That did not end well for the fish. He got much better at catch and release as he got older.
Another time, Thomas managed to sneak out of the house while Dad was on duty, with his bucket to fish out the neighbor’s fish from their fishpond. That became a lesson in writing apology letters and not taking what didn't belong to you.
Thomas spent countless days in our neighborhood woods fishing in Thatcher Brook, looking for turkey, deer, and whatever else he could find. Being in those woods alone was his special quiet place to escape the business of this world.
Thomas brought his fishing pole wherever he went just in case he was near water and could cast his line. We made countless trips to Cabela’s and L.L.Bean to find just the right fishing gear so that he could catch the big ones. It was at Cabela’s, that we asked questions and were connected to the Mainely Bass Youth Fishing Club. As the saying goes, the rest is history.
Thomas was a 2017 Graduate of Biddeford High School and a graduate of the BRCOT Engineering & Architectural Design Program. He was pursuing his core classes in Engineering at Southern Maine Community College, after which, he planned to transfer to a Southern college, where he would continue his Engineering studies and join a collegiate bass fishing team. Thomas was an extraordinary fisher who excelled in the sport of bass fishing and exhibited an undeniable passion, perseverance, and dedication to the sport. One of his many accomplishments was winning the Maine BASS Nation HS State Championship during his senior year. He traveled to TN and represented Biddeford High School in June 2017 at the BASS High School National Championships. Thomas was a lover of all things outdoors and shared that passion with all that he knew. Thomas’s perfect blend of passion, empathy, and humor gave him the instant ability to make anybody feel at ease.
Thomas passed away on September 28, 2017. This situation turned our community upside down and brought it together simultaneously. Biddeford, Maine is a community that rallies and supports its members like no other.
Because of this tragedy, one of the young men in the BASS fishing community began a GoFundMe page. The Thomas Behen Fund was established because of generous donations from so many individuals who loved Thomas. The fund has grown and evolved since September 2017. We know Thomas would be so proud and humbled by this.
Through the fund, we have been able to give multiple scholarships to BHS and BRCOT students over the last 6 years. We have also provided scholarships to the Maine BASS Nation Junior and HS State Champions to travel to the National Championships. The fund has provided donations to multiple sports, extracurricular, and other programs at Biddeford High School and The Biddeford Regional Center of Technology. It has also allowed us to give donations to the local food pantry and to help the homeless.
After Thomas passed, we thought “wouldn't it be a gift to start a fishing camp for kids in Thomas’s memory? To get children outside and discover the joy of fishing and nature that Thomas loved so much.” Soon after that, land in the town of Sebago off Southeast Pond became available to us. We are slowly bringing this dream to reality. purchased the land on Southeast Pond in the town of Sebago, Maine and are working to develop a youth outdoor fishing camp. It will be the future home of the Thomas Behen Casting Camp.
