In the Media

The Kelly Clarkson Show

LA Mom Honors Late Son By Building Soccer Fields Around The City

After her son Tommy died suddenly in his sleep at just 12-years-old, Los Angeles mom Nikki transformed her grief into purpose by mobilizing her community to build “Tommy’s Field,” a public soccer field in memory of her son. Nikki shares how developing the athletic fields has been the perfect way to honor her late son’s love of sports and play.


KCAL News

Celebrating the life & legacy of Tommy Mark

In 2018, Tommy Mark passed away a month shy of his 13th birthday. It was an unexpected loss for his mother, Nikki, and Tommy’s family, but they’ve used his memory to give back to Los Angeles with the gift of athletic fields bearing his name.


People Magazine

Mom’s Son Mysteriously Died in His Sleep. Now She Keeps His Memory Alive by Helping Other Kids

“His spirit is still around making things happen,” Nikki Mark tells PEOPLE.

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Fox 11 Los Angeles

The Life and Legacy of Tommy Mark

Nikki touches on her pain to purpose journey detailed in her new book, “TOMMY’S FIELD: Love, Loss, and the Goal of a Lifetime“.


Adam Carolla Show

Adam Carolla & Nikki Mark on Tommy’s Field

Author Nikki Mark joins the show and talks about raising money to build soccer fields as a way to heal after the unexpected death of her 12 year-old son. The group chats about dealing with Los Angeles when trying to build something and Nikki gives more insight into her book, Tommy’s Field.


Oprah Daily

Out of Devastating Loss Comes a Healing Friendship

How an intergenerational friendship and an ancient practice helped a grieving mom heal.

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Weekly highlighted content on Maria Shriver's Sunday Paper.

Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper

Sunday Paper Recommends—Week of January 21, 2024

“Her beautifully written book follows her path as a mother, wife, and endless seeker who takes the anguish of her son’s loss and turns it into a beautiful project of meaning: creating a state-of-the-art public athletic field in honor of her son and the gift of play.”

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Alexi Lalas’ State of the Union Podcast

Nikki sits down with Alexi Lalas to talk about ‘Tommy’s Field: Love, loss, and the goal of a lifetime’ and the impact it has had

Alexi Lalas and special guest Nikki Mark discussed her amazing book, Tommy’s Field: Love, Loss, and the Goal of a Lifetime, and the impact of the book across the soccer landscape.

Watch on YouTube

Fox 11 Los Angeles

Second ‘Tommy’s Field’ Opens in West Los Angeles

Today, we opened our 2nd Tommy’s Field in Los Angeles at Vista Del Mar. It was a magical day filled with bubbles, butterflies, soccer, water balloons, friends, family, donors, friendly press, children playing, and even quality time with our Mayor!

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Katie Couric Media

After My 12-Year-Old Son Tragically Died, Spirituality Was the Only Thing That Made Sense

When my young son passed away without reason, I had to find answers within and beyond.

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Spectrum News

Tommy’s Field at Vista Del Mar is dedicated to the spirit of play

In 2018, 12-year-old Tommy Mark passed away in his sleep. The young boy embodied such a profound spirit of play that in his memory, his parents have established Tommy’s Field — new state-of-the-art sports fields meant to brighten the city with that same love of play that Tommy so believed in.

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Tiny Buddha

How This Dog Person Learned to Embrace Her Inner Cat

Earlier this year, I went to Egypt with a small group of friends. “Egypt will activate something ancient in you,” I was told by one of them. “You have to go.” Egypt wasn’t exactly on my bucket list, but in the span of one year, three different people had told me I needed to visit the country, so when the opportunity presented itself, I did.

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Maria Shriver

The Healing Gift of Play

“On Monday, April 16, 2018, my 12-year-old son, Tommy, went to sleep and never woke up. We still don’t know why. I was so empty for so long that it felt like my soul had left my body and to go searching for him. I wasn’t sure it would ever return.”

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Elephant Journal

I See Magic Everywhere. Even at Sit ‘n Sleep.

“Even after enduring the biggest tragedy of my life and experiencing an awakening that cracked open a magical sixth sense–the idea of all of us being “one” was too big; way too nebulous; and far too woo-woo, even for me.”

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LA Parent

Mother Who Lost a Child Implores Us to Support Bereaved Parents and Their Causes

“I am going to explain what it feels like for a parent to lose a child in hope that my perspective inspires you to support these parents and improve our world at the very same time.

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Los Angeles Times

Op-Ed: Even after he was gone, our son gave us the gift of persistence

“My family had raised money to replace a decrepit field at Westwood Recreation Center and dedicate the new site to my 12-year-old son, Tommy, who went to sleep on Monday, April 16, 2018, and never woke up.”

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VoyageLA

Community Highlights: Meet Nikki Mark of TM23 Foundation

“I want to do something meaningful,” I told him. Until I found my next job, I wanted to give back to the community and build a full-size soccer/multipurpose field with lights in our local Los Angeles public park – one that had a dirt field with holes sitting empty in the middle of it for Tommy’s entire life and at least two decades of mine.” 

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