In Memoriam
Thomas Rudolph Brinsko
September 21, 1951 — May 16, 2026
Co-Founder, Building Healthier America
It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our co-founder and friend, Tom Brinsko, who died on May 16, 2026, at the age of 74, in the company of his loving family. Tom’s vision, generosity, and tireless commitment to families shaped everything Building Healthier America is today.
Born on September 21, 1951, in Iron Mountain, Michigan, to Rudy and Anne Brinsko, Tom spent his youth in Appleton, Wisconsin, before earning a master’s degree in human performance from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. His passion for fitness led to a 42-year career with the YMCA, where he rose from an entry-level position to become President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater St. Paul, contributing to the health and well-being of his community. He also served for many years on the board of directors of HealthPartners, working to expand community access to medical care.
A caring and active member of his community, Tom founded the non-profit Building Healthier America to provide services and support to individuals with disabilities and their families. Together with Andy Nelson, he helped turn the findings of a 1997 study into action — building a more supportive path for families navigating chronic illness and disability, and laying the foundation for the work that continues today.
Outside of his career, Tom loved fitness and sport. An avid Packer and Badger fan, he competed in three Ironman competitions along with numerous triathlons and marathons. He loved skiing and snowshoeing in the winter, but his greatest passion was his bicycle — he rode long distances and even biked across the United States.
Tom is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Cynthia Brinsko; his sons, Bryan, Stephen, and Dan Brinsko; his brothers, James (Kim) Brinsko, Joseph (Pat) Brinsko, and Mike (Nancy) Brinsko; and many sisters- and brothers-in-law, nieces, and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Rudolph and Anne Brinsko. He will be deeply missed, and his legacy lives on in the families this community continues to serve.
Services
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Patrick’s Parish, 1500 Vine St, Hudson, WI. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. The Mass will be live-streamed on the St. Patrick’s of Hudson Facebook page.
Services are entrusted to O’Connell Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Hudson. To share a memory, please visit oconnellfuneralhomes.com or call 715-386-3725.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Building Healthier America in Tom’s memory.
DONATE IN TOM’S MEMORYTHE FAMILIES WE SERVE
Our platform and services are not limited to a single diagnosis, but some of the most common diagnoses our families navigate are ADHD, autism, bipolar disorder, cerebral palsy, congenital heart defects, Down syndrome, dyslexia, emotional disturbance, epilepsy, fetal alcohol syndrome, hearing impairment including deafness, intellectual disabilities, orthopedic impairment, Prader-Willi syndrome, spina bifida, traumatic brain injury, vision impairment including blindness, and Williams syndrome.
Families benefit from being part of the Building Healthier Community regardless of geographic location. Our funding does determine the amount of localized resources we are able to provide, but much of the value simply comes from families that are willing to help other families.
OUR LEADERSHIP AND BOARD
Our team is made up of people with a breadth of experience in healthcare and human services, all of whom are passionate about improving the lives of those we serve.
OUR STORY AND VISION
The seeds for Building Healthier Community were planted in 1997, when the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funded the HealthPartners Institute and what is now known as the Center for Children with Special Health Care Needs at the University of Minnesota for a study¹ that identified some of the hurdles that families face when navigating a disability or chronic illness diagnosis.