Thomas "Tommy" Baker is a boxer who was preparing to come out of the closet before he was violently attacked by two men.
Background[]
Tommy was inspired by his father Duke to become a fighter and uphold the family name. However, Tommy never told his father he was gay, which his father was secretly aware of but accepting. Tommy became an excellent fighter but not ready to come out, he married his best friend Chrissy Baker who was aware of his sexuality but was fine to help him and they were close.
When he was injured in a fight Tommy needed months to recover but during the time, he met a man named Phil Diaz and a relationship between them was initiated. During this time, Chrissy became involved with a man named Ricky Nowak. Upon his recovery, Tommy worked up the strength to come out and told the manager of the circuit who permitted it because this would bring good publicity and profitable business endeavors. Phil was also delighted by this news because he believed it would be time for him and Tommy to start a full relationship. However, Tommy made it clear that he was not going to leave Chrissy, because she was family.
Tommy Baker's Hardest Fight[]
The day before his latest match, Tommy spoke with the managers about the arrangement before he was surprised to see his father Duke appear and started to get cold feet. Nevertheless, Tommy appeared at the match ready to take on his new opponent. The very same night Tommy noticed that Phil and Ricky have been stealing money from him and Chrissy and went to confront them. While distracted with his arguing with Phil, Ricky snuck up behind Tommy and struck him with a 10-pound weight knocking him out. The pair believe that Tommy was dead and panicked before Ricky told Phil that he will dispose of the body.
While being alone with the body, Ricky proceeded to rape Tommy before dumping his unconscious form inside of a car. Tommy was found by two police officers who soon discovered that he was alive, and he was transported to the hospital. Tommy was still unconscious and underwent surgery and his condition was improving. SVU detectives investigating all the people connected to Tommy and many were aware of his sexuality including his father who revealed that he was dying and only wanted to make amends with his son. SVU caught a break when they discovered that Phil and Ricky were the culprits after looking into their finances and potential motives.
In the end, Tommy regained consciousness and recovered from his injuries. Making a live message that was viewed by everyone, Tommy officially came out and voiced the attack he suffered was caused by cowards while also stating it gave him the strength to be who he really is.