Timothy Halpin's Legacy Remembered

After losing his youngest son to sudden cardiac arrest in December 2008, Los Gatos resident Timothy Halpin became a strong youth health advocate—hoping the devastating loss wouldn't be a waste.

Friends and family will gather at Los Gatos Memorial Park at 10 a.m. Saturday to celebrate Halpin's legacy of turning a tragedy into a labor of love for young people who die from undetected heart conditions and ailments.



He was riding home on his Harley-Davidson Fat Boy motorcycle after attending a Fourth of July party Saturday night and crashed not too far from the family’s Ohlone Court home. His wife, Sherri, was away camping with friends, daughter Rose Telles said.

Halpin was taken to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, where he died later that morning of internal injuries, according to police sources.

"We don't know a whole lot [about the accident]," Telles said. "We don't have any information yet. I got a call and showed up at the hospital, and by the time I got there, my father had already passed away. I didn't even get to see him or speak to him. He was conscious, according to the police officer and the hospital, but other than that, we really don't know much."

Halpin's friends and family describe him as a "gentle giant." Their memory of this joyful man as a tireless champion of youth issues, more recently lobbying everyone he knew to create more awareness about how vulnerable teens can be.

His work included encouraging education and sports officials to get high school athletes tested for heart problems after his son, Mikey, a 17-year-old senior at died after collapsing at school from an undetected heart condition.

Mikey played as a defensive lineman for the school’s football team, and his death came just one week before the league championship game in December 2008.

Following Mikey's death, Halpin and wife, Sherri, started the nonprofit organization, MichaelHalpinLegacy.org, in Mikey’s name to put automated external defibrillators in schools, Telles said.

On Halpin’s Mercury News online obituary guestbook, sister-in-law Stephanie Goelzer of Livermore wrote, "Tim was a wonderful man with a heart of gold. He was always thoughtful and generous. He was truly the best brother-in-law anyone could ever have. I was lucky to have him in my life for 33 years."

Sister Diane Wright said the Saturday memorial will be a graveside service at the cemetery where Halpin's ashes will be placed next to his son's ashes. "It will be short," she said, adding that a private get-together for friends will follow in Morgan Hill. 

Telles, 31, of Scotts Valley, said her dad had also been working with Good Samaritan and El Camino hospitals to do EKG testing on young athletes. "His main goal was to try to make the testing mandatory as part of a physical exam," she said. 

In addition, he worked with the organization Parent Heart Watch to reduce sudden cardiac arrest in youth.

"He shared his story with everyone," she said. "He didn't want anyone to have to go through what we've gone through."  

On July 5, the Halpins would have celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary, and on July 14, he would have turned 53, Telles said through tears. Riding motorcycles was his favorite pastime, a hobby he enjoyed for 35 years, she said.

"It's so unbelievable and shocking," she lamented. "I miss my brother terribly and now I'm going to miss my father. He was wonderful. He was my best friend. He was always there for all of us."

Halpin also is survived by a son, T.J., who's 28 and lives in San Jose. 

Last year, Los Gatos High School, with Halpin's help, tested more than 400 athletes' hearts during "Mikey Day," an event that will be held this year at Saratoga High School.

Telles said the family will also celebrate her father's other contributions, such as service in the U.S. Army and many years working at IBM, FMC and Molecular Devices.

Halpin, a tall, loud-laughter kind of guy with green eyes, was born in Milwaukee, WI, graduated from Oak Grove High School and is survived by his sisters, Diane Wright and Christina Willines, and brother, Gary Goelzer. 

The saddest part for Telles is that her 4-year-old son, Tyler, who "adored" her father, "is wondering when grandpa is going to take him to the swings at Vasona."

Comforting Telles and her family is an amazingly generous and compassionate community, which has rallied around them during both tragedies, taking them warm meals, comforting words, friendship and thoughtful visits that show Los Gatans truly care about each other, she said.

"Los Gatos has truly been there for my family in every way," Telles said. "It's really great. We know that if we lived anywhere else, we wouldn't have this kind of support."