February 2018 Broomfield, Colorado

My wife and I want to thank Tom Szymkowiak for not only the professional manner and research in helping me to reconnect with family in southeast Poland but also the professional and sincere assistance when we met with the “family”. We count him as a true friend.

In early 2017 Tom assisted me in finding my paternal grandfather’s home town, relatives and even the home where he once lived. There were still family members living there.

I gave Tom everything I had in the way of documents, but it wasn’t much. My grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles are all dead, no cousins could help. I did some very preliminary research online and supplied Tom with these documents. I knew from family verbal history that my Grandfather and Grandmother were from a village somewhere south of Krakow. I was able to find some ship manifests and Ellis Island paperwork.

Based on that Tom found the village, the church where my grandfather was baptized, even the cemetery and tombs but most importantly my distant relatives. He prepared a wonderful report for me to review, all at a reasonable fee. Then we travelled to Poland in late summer of 2017! Tom picked us up at our hotel in Krakow and took us to meet “the family”. He had prepared them beforehand and seemed like a member of the family. What a wonderful experience. Did you know Tom speaks 5 languages? His English is perfect.

Tom is second from the left, I am on the left and my wife standing on the right.

It was a very long day and Tom appeared very relaxed and friendly with our family and did an excellent job of translating for the family members who did not speak English. At the end of the family reunion “the family” loved Tom so much that they even gave him a gift.

We recommend Tom to anyone looking for help in finding their family in Poland. Also my wife really liked him and his safe driving.

If you need help in finding family in Poland or just are thinking of visiting Poland Tom is the person you need. We are looking forward to our next trip to Poland and working with Tom again.

Steve and Rita P. Broomfield, Colorado

Lunch with the family, Tom on the right.

Family at the cemetery

Cousins !!