Pens can’t overcome wild 2nd period in loss to Bruins

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Nanticoke Area re-living its girls basketball past

<p>WILKES-BARRE TWP. &#8212; It was a posting on the website GoFundMe.com that hit home.</p><p>&#8220;Parents lost everything in a fire &#8212; Rick and Sharon Tomko &#8212; including a dog, cat and 4 birds.&#8221;</p><p>It was posted by the Tomkos&#8217; son, Stephen, and it really says it all.</p><p>The Tomkos lost everything, as their son said, when a blaze at their home at 83 Nicholson St. in Wilkes-Barre Township late Friday afternoon left them homeless and claimed the lives of their beloved pets.</p><p>The images were difficult to watch. Mr. Tomko standing there, trying to keep composed, as he told reporters about all that was lost. Mr. Tomko stood there as flames were pouring out of the roof of his house and out the windows.</p><p>The Tomkos were out when their home caught fire &#8212; when everything they owned was lost.</p><p>I tried to contact the Tomko family through the GoFundMe site set up for anyone wanting to help them by donating. You can help by going to gofundme.com and clicking on the site: <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/ugkvfyqk" target="_blank">Rich and Sharon Tomko For Fire</a>. The Tomkos didn&#8217;t get back to me, which during these times, is completely understandable.</p><p>I drove by what is left of the Tomko home several times Sunday. As soon as you drive up Nicholson Street, you can see the house on the hill. The outside walls bear the black scars of a devastating fire. Most of the windows are broken or gone.</p><p>On the porch roof remain Christmas decorations &#8212; a Santa sleigh and reindeer, burned as well, and Christmas lights still hang &#8212; all evidence of happier times of just a month ago.</p><p>The front of the house reflects the Tomko family&#8217;s allegiance to the New York Yankees baseball team. Signs are tacked to the house: &#8220;Bronx Bombers Boulevard,&#8221; &#8220;Thurman Munson Drive,&#8221; &#8220;Pinstripe Alley,&#8221; and &#8220;Derek Jeter Drive.&#8221; Another sign reads: &#8220;Yankees fans parking only.&#8221;</p><p>All of these things &#8212; the Yankees&#8217; signs, the decorations &#8212; give you an idea of what it was like living in the Tomko home. I&#8217;m sure days and nights were filled with laughter and cheers as the family exchanged Christmas presents, or watched the Yankees on TV.</p><p>Those days are gone for now. The Tomko family has a lot to deal with as they rebuild their lives.</p><p>Speaking of wishing, in the small front yard at 83 Nicholson St. sits a wishing well. It made me wonder how many wishes were made there. How many coins may have been tossed inside as family and friends made their wishes. Hopefully most, if not all, came true.</p><p>When I was a kid growing up in Plymouth, the town had a fire alarm that would sound whenever a call came in. It would be a two digit code. The siren would blare once, twice or three times to give you the first number for the street where the fire had broken out. After a pause, the second sound of the siren would complete the code. Reynolds Street, where I lived, was 34.</p><p>We would always hold our breath as we waited for that code to complete.</p><p>I can&#8217;t imagine what it was like for the Tomko family when they returned home Friday to see their home engulfed in flames. To look at your home and realize that most of what you have is inside burning has to be devastating. Firefighters were pouring water into the house. Windows were broken. Flames were everywhere and I&#8217;m sure standing outside, you could feel the intensity of the heat.</p><p>They have lost everything. But that wishing well remains in the front yard.</p><p>And now a wishing well has been established on the Internet &#8212; the GoFundMe account that Stephen Tomko established to help his parents rebuild their lives.</p><p>They are asking for help.</p><p>They need help.</p><p>Gone are the family dog and cat and the four birds that called 83 Nicholson St. home.</p><p>Richard and Sharon are left behind to rebuild.</p><p>We wish them well.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Fire crews battle a blaze at the home of Richard and Sharon Tomko at 83 Nicholson St. in Wilkes-Barre Township on Friday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_TTL012316Fire4-4.jpg</photo0><caption0>Fire crews battle a blaze at the home of Richard and Sharon Tomko at 83 Nicholson St. in Wilkes-Barre Township on Friday. </caption0><photoCredit0>Sean McKeag | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_Columnshot-1-1-1-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">In Focus Bill O&#8217;Boyle </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_Columnshot-1-1-1-3.jpg</photo1><caption1>In Focus Bill O&#8217;Boyle </caption1><photoCredit1>Sean McKeag | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_TTL012316Fire3-4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Richard Tomko stands by as firemen battle a blaze at his home on Nicholson Street in Wilkes-Barre Township on Friday. Tomko has lived at the residence for more than 25 years. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_TTL012316Fire3-4.jpg</photo2><caption2>Richard Tomko stands by as firemen battle a blaze at his home on Nicholson Street in Wilkes-Barre Township on Friday. Tomko has lived at the residence for more than 25 years. </caption2><photoCredit2>Sean McKeag | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

In Focus: Well wishes for the home with the wishing well