Tom Finn was a leader in the world of health freedom in the United States.
He was also my uncle and my father’s father.
In 1982, he wrote a landmark book under his own name The dangers of mandatory vaccinations and how to legally avoid themwith a foreword by close family friend and New York Times bestselling author Dr. Bob Mendelsohn. Tom, a prominent attorney, has represented families of vaccine-injured children across the country and praised Dr. Mendelsohn as “very successful in vaccination litigation.”
My uncle founded the Freedom of Choice Law Center, a non-profit organization over 45 years ago that provides legal aid to individuals who are seeking medical freedom here in Florida. I don’t know of any non-profit organization about freedom of health that exists today like his old one. My grandmother worked as a receptionist in the office and I loved going to visit her during spring break. It was a family affair and I was amazed at how hard he worked to help others.
All this, after leaving one of the largest and wealthiest firms in Chicago, where he was becoming a successful trial lawyer, he chose instead to devote himself to helping the vaccine-injured. And to help parents and children struggling with increasing vaccine mandates.
In 1983, Tom was also featured on its cover Vegetarian Timesalong with an in-depth article on the dangers associated with vaccines, excerpted from his book. As I reflect on the longevity of the magazine, which I have celebrated for over 50 years, I ask myself if they still publish such a genuine article today. In conversations with fellow journalists at national publications, I’ve heard about the pressures they face to remain silent about vaccine injury and even promote false claims about safety and efficacy, especially when their own advertisers are involved. Some have expressed concern that the media is becoming a mere mouthpiece for the pharmaceutical industry.
Tom’s list of accomplishments is extensive and too long to recount here, but most important to me was that he was a genuinely nice man. Sadly, my dear Uncle T passed away under mysterious circumstances in Florida in 1997, when he was just in his mid-50s.
The news of his death and the alleged hasty cremation before notifying family members devastated our entire family. Tom’s untimely death was the loss of a champion that would become my life’s work.
Dr. Bob Mendelsohn, always regarded as an extremely influential figure in the health freedom movement and Tom’s long-time mentor, also died suddenly not long before my uncle, reportedly of a heart attack at the age of 61. And he died right in Evanston, a suburb of Chicago, where I was born.
Dr. Bob, a prolific author whose works have touched on traditional medicine practices, including bestsellers How to raise a healthy child, despite the doctorwas a prominent figure on television shows such as Phil Donahue.
Both Tom and Dr. Bob showed great courage and were ahead of their time in defending health freedom. Tom’s dedication to this cause was very personal as he played an important role in my adoption story and connected me to my birth mother. Generally, attorneys are not allowed to disclose birth mothers’ signatures on legal documents to their clients. However, in this unique situation, since he (as the kind and generous Tom he is) offered to represent his brother (my father) and my adoptive mother for free, Tom took exception and showed them my birth mother’s signature.
With this signature, a name was revealed. Her intervention eventually led me to discover a book authored by my birth mother, which I found at my local library. The book tells the heartfelt story of her decision to give me up for adoption. And it was dedicated to me, her firstborn and only son.
Of all my relatives, I believe that Tom was my inspiration. He embodied a commitment to healthy, clean eating and lived in his modest home by the sea with his wife and children at a time when waterfront property was much more affordable.
Tom not only demonstrated the importance of living an authentic life, but also instilled in me a deep value for honesty and the pursuit of truth. As my father always emphasized, Tom encouraged me to question authority and think critically about the world around me. His influence has had a lasting impact on my beliefs and values, shaping the way I navigate life and approach challenges with a sense of integrity and curiosity.
Tom’s influence on my life was profound; she was the reason I adopted an organic vegetarian lifestyle for a significant part of my life. Despite a difficult start with many health issues, his promotion of a local organic diet and healthy living has helped me more than I can express. His guidance and example have not only shaped my dietary choices, but also contributed significantly to my overall well-being. Although we lost him very young, I am very grateful that at least in my youth I had him as a godfather and someone who was so encouraging.
Before I started writing my unexpected series of identical doctors who died unexpectedly before 2020, mostly murder, suicide, and mysterious sudden death, I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Mayer Eisenstein. He was another pioneer who gave valuable advice and shared how much Dr. Bob and my Uncle Tom inspired him. Tragically, Dr. Eisenstein died suddenly in Chicago in 2014 at the age of 60, and being of the Jewish faith, no autopsy was performed.
After his untimely death, I had the opportunity to meet his only son, Jeremy. We shared our experiences of losing family members – for him, his father, and for me, my uncle. What struck me as incredibly surreal was the revelation that Dr. Eisenstein’s godfather was Dr. Bob and my godfather was Uncle Tom. They were best friends and, of course, worked together on the vaccine book. I remember the moment we sat in the car discussing this revelation while looking at the book, a deep feeling of disbelief.
All of the people I’ve mentioned here, including myself, were from Chicago and then spent time in Florida or lived part-time here in the Sunshine State.
Jeremy, like his father, is full of vitality and is blessed with a wonderful wife and family. His father’s sudden loss was a shock as they were unaware of any underlying heart problems. After the autopsy, they were left without a definitive answer as to the cause of his death.
As I reflect on Tom’s legacy and the impact he has had on my life, I am reminded of his steadfast commitment to fighting for the rights of individuals who want health care independence. His influence continues on my journey as I carry on his legacy of health freedom advocacy.
And I think and pray for every person who risks their lives to share the truth. But I’d rather die than live telling lies.
I hope that my father, who had a heart attack while hang gliding at the age of 80 before 2020, and his brother Tom, are in heaven, and although we don’t always see eye to eye, I think they are watching us all now that we know the truth.
Erin Elizabeth
Founder, Health Nut News
