The Real Tom Knox

GIVE HIM THIS much: Tom Knox has come a long, long way from horrible beginnings. In an accident at work, his father was hit in the mouth with a large industrial hook when Tom was 14 or 15, and thereafter, when he drank something, part of it would spill down his shirt, out the hole that could not be closed. He stopped working, drank heavily, and physically abused his family. Tom escaped into the Navy, and then escaped further into wealth; one of his brothers succumbed to drugs. This is part of the reason why fighting drugs is high on Tom Knox’s agenda.

Tom Knox did help out his nephew ­Kevin — he paid his rent, gave him money for Christmas presents for his family, though Kevin, Knox says, apparently squandered the money and was a no-show for Christmas. Tom has stopped taking Kevin Knox’s phone calls. Some people are so incorrigible, they can’t be helped. And perhaps, if they’re not willing to finally help themselves, they don’t deserve to be helped. Is there any point where you just give up on someone? That’s a hard question. Tom Knox has an answer.

He did not tell Kevin to take out a life insurance policy and kill himself. (With suicides, insurance doesn’t pay.) But Kevin, Tom says, did call with the question: “Can I get a life insurance policy and kill myself — will that pay off?”

“Kevin, you can do whatever you want,” Tom answered. “But don’t get me involved. I don’t want to be involved with you.” Then Tom Knox hung up on him.