Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - It is with great sadness and a profound sense of loss that we share with you that Tom Swale, President of the Amapas Neighborhood Association (ANA), passed away on Wednesday, May 30, 2018. He went gently into that good night surrounded by his family – his brother, sister-in-law, niece and nephews - in California.

It has been three weeks since Tom announced his successful quintuple bypass surgery on May 8th via personal emails and on Facebook no less. The next day he suffered a heart attack which resulted in a huge loss of circulation. He never awoke. The confirmed extent of Tom's injuries were not known until he returned to the United States.

Tom leaves behind many friends stretching from Los Angeles to New York to Puerto Vallarta who are stunned by his sudden passing. All of us who had the opportunity to ride the wave of community activism with him, are blessed to have done so. Tom certainly believed that one person can make a difference, and he challenged everyone else to do so.

His legacy in beloved Puerto Vallarta is endless – a highway sidewalk, cleaner streets with garbage receptacles, a dynamic neighborhood association, collaboration amongst many of PV's neighborhoods, many sets of stairs which everyone can use to get up and down to our fantastic beaches, safer streets because of his work with the local police officials, and a strong sense of community. He was the face and heart of Amapas, better known as "Mr. Amapas."

Tom will be missed, but his work and his vision will not be forgotten nor laid aside. To make sure this happens, the ANA Board will be rotating the presidential responsibilities over the next couple of months. Should you need to contact us, please use one of the following email addresses: admin(at)amapaspv.com, or president(at)amapaspv.com.

Tom's ashes will be scattered at sea to join his beloved Carl in the warm waters of the Bay of Banderas, close to the community he loved to serve and nurture. ANA will hold a tribute to Tom at a future date. Stay tuned for more details.

BN Editor's Note: Everyone here at Banderas News extends our deepest condolences to any family or friends reading this for their loss. We take comfort in the fact that Tom's legacy will live on as the many improvements that he made to our city will be enjoyed for generations to come.

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The Amapas Neighborhood Association is the official association of residents and business owners in the Colonia Amapas of Puerto Vallarta. A volunteer and not-for-profit association with about 350 members, the ANA was founded in 2002 to improve the quality of life in Amapas. We work to keep our neighborhood safe, beautiful, desirable and welcoming to tourists and residents from all countries and walks of life. We are also the official "Junta Vecinal" or neighborhood council for Amapas, the legal representative of the neighborhood to the city government. Learn more at AmapasPV.com.