Tom Checheris' story is a perfect example of how God works in peoples' lives. At the age of 37 Tom decided to go to Holy Cross Seminary, but one year later, Tom was told by doctors that he had multiple sclerosis. The disease progressed aggressively at first and within 2 years Tom was wheelchair bound. Though his faith was tested, Tom knew that his life's course was in God's hands. In 2001, friends encouraged Tom to make a painting and he found a talent he never knew he had. In the end, Tom signed that first painting with a dirivative of his Greek baptismal name "Stamos." Stamos's ancestry is from Chios, Greece, and because his illness prevents him from easily traveling, he decided to mostly paint scenes from around his beloved Greek islands. Through the years, Stamos has won awards and has been featured in "Inside MS" magazine. Stamos has 2 daughters and a grandson (little Stamos). Stamos was born in Minneapolis and continues to reside in a suburb of Minneapolis with his wife Vickie.