Mr. Thomas Arthur Nelson

Thomas Arthur Nelson was raised and

educated as a Catholic from

kindergarten to college. He

is a graduate of Notre Dame

University and is a former naval

officer. He wrote the awardwinning

essay “God Gave Me A

Gay Son” about his son Mark who

inspired him to take up activism

in the LGBT community. He is the

father of six children, grandfather

of twelve, and great-grandfather

of three. He lives in Manistee,

Michigan.