Terry Bailey’s children are his legacy

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Teisha Gentles is raising her son TJ to work hard and play hard just like his father.

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Tragically, she does so in the absence of her father.

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TJ’s father, Terry Bailey, 48, died in a tragic accident in February 2021. He died from smoke inhalation when he was working on a project to refurbish an old school bus as potential housing for the underprivileged. The space heater he was using caught fire.

His death caused a great outpouring of love and grief. a GoFundMe was established at the time for his family and two children.

Bailey’s daughter. Kessiah, 19, is in college.

And his son TJ — Terrance J. Gentles Bailey — is now 11 and in middle school.

“Terry was a hard worker and made sure everyone had a good time,” Gentles said in a recent interview.

“I try to instill the same values ​​in TJ.”

Gentles and Bailey were no longer a couple at the time of his death, but she is raising a son to continue his father’s legacy.

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She does it in personal ways, such as teaching TJ how to fish. This is a pastime his father loved, as well as a professional way to do it. Gentles and TJ have a photo booth business together and take us to celebrations, corporate and community events and parties.

It’s the perfect combination of fun and industry.

Gentles has a full-time corporate job — she’s a senior field engineering underwriter for a major insurance company — and she uses Hidden Smirk Photo Booth in her spare time and to satisfy her creative side. was established.

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Hidden Smirk Photo Booth was founded during a pandemic when people’s smiles were covered by masks.

“Now we are working on removing the emotional mask that people wear.

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A photobooth is an onsite pop-up commemorating an event with photos.

Last summer, the Gentles and T..J had a hugely successful photo booth at Callabram (a multicultural festival in Brampton).

“TJ always helps out with events involving kids. I wanted to create something I knew I could pass on to him in the future when he became a holder. That’s my hope.”

They say philanthropy starts at home, and TJ made the message clear.

“He always suggests things we can do. We have a Christmas fund that he uses to get toys for children who need them.”

TJ has two routes delivering Brampton Guardians every week. He recently brought home a $10 tip that went straight into his fund for Christmas.

TJ is an excellent student and is currently in sixth grade. “He loves video games and he wants to be a video game developer one day.”

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Gentles is married to a teacher (and artist) and stepmother to her husband’s 6-year-old (the “bonus son”).

“There’s me, my husband, my bonus son, and TJ, and I’m constantly battling testosterone,” she laughed. “But I love being a mom to boys. We do our best to be a family.”

They live in Brampton, near her family, her husband’s family and Terry Bailey’s family. “TJ’s grandmother lives ten minutes away.”

Speaking on Bailey’s sudden death in 2021, Gentles said:

Gentles said TJ only recently learned the details of his father’s death. “He was horrified by the tragic event, but many good things came out of this tragedy. I want to congratulate him and his father.