I will miss joining Freddie for breakfast at PEGGS.
I loved watching him hold court there; in his usual seat, with a breakfast platter named after him, greeting everyone who walked in. Whenever we met, he was already there, already in conversation. While we sat together, there was a steady stream of people stopping by to say hello.
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| Breakfast at PEGGS. |
That was Freddie.
He didn’t just know people. He built community wherever he went. There are people who welcome you to a community, and then there are people who make you feel like you belong. Freddie Thon was that person for me.
Freddie passed away peacefully at home on Friday, March 20th, 2026.
I remember the first time we met. I had just moved to South Bend and showed up to a Hispanic Leadership Coalition meeting, and not knowing many people was still trying to find my place.
Freddie motioned for me to sit at his table up front. He was wearing a Puerto Rico baseball cap, something I would learn was pretty standard for him, and we struck up a conversation about my Puerto Rican daughter, about Humboldt Park, Puerto Rican food, and life.
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| Latin Chamber Event |
That moment mattered more than I realized at the time.
That was about 18 years ago, and he introduced me to leaders across the community since then. He connected me to people who would shape my path. He helped me navigate rooms I wasn’t sure I belonged in yet.
Freddie always knew everyone, but more importantly, he made sure everyone knew each other. He wasn’t just connected. He was a connector, and he didn’t do it for credit, he did it because he believed in people.
As I got to know him more, I realized just how deep his impact ran. The number of boards he served on, the organizations he supported, the causes he championed... it was extensive.
But what stood out wasn’t the list.
It was the pride.
Freddie loved South Bend. He chose to invest his time, his energy, and his relationships into making this place better. And he brought others along with him.
He certainly did that for me.
He opened doors for me at La Casa de Amistad. He made introductions to donors and partners that helped move our work forward. He spoke highly of me in rooms I wasn’t in yet.
And one of the most impactful things he did, he pushed me to get involved with Notre Dame Federal Credit Union. |
| Hall of Fame Induction |
At NDFCU, Freddie was consistent in a way that mattered. Every meeting, every discussion, he was the one who spoke up about the Latino community. He asked the questions others didn’t. He made sure those voices were part of the conversation.
He cared deeply about the West Side, about access, about presence, about culture and not just language, about showing up where it mattered. It’s only fitting that the West Side branch now carries his name.
When we talked about expanding into Elkhart, it was the same thing. Freddie didn’t let it be abstract. He grounded it in people; real needs, real families, real opportunity.
I usually sat next to him in those board meetings.
Now, I sit in his seat, and I think about that, I think about that A LOT.
I hope I’m making him proud, speaking up the way he did, making sure those voices are heard, pushing when it matters.
I like to think he knew that just last week, La Casa de Amistad named NDFCU Partner of the Year, an honor he had a hand in shaping, not just recently, but over many, many years.
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| NDFCU Board Room |
There was always something new to learn about him, stories that would surprise you. Like signing with the Yankees. Or competing in the Bengal Bouts at Notre Dame.
A full life. A fascinating life.
But in the end, what mattered most wasn’t what he did. Freddie was a mentor. A connector. A neighbor. A friend. For me, someone who helped turn South Bend from a new place… into home.
I’m grateful for him.
And I’ll carry forward what he showed me—make room for people, open doors when you can, and always pull up another chair to the table.
I’ll miss that seat at PEGGS, and I'll do my best in your NDFCU seat.