Tami was enjoying life as a high school vice principal when her brother, East Palo Alto Police Officer Rich May was shot and killed in the line of duty on January 7, 2006. Ten years and ten days later her mom died unexpectantly from a pulmonary embolism on January 17, 2016.

People work through their grief in various ways. Tami sews. She sells her blue line bags during National Police Week and various Law Enforcement conferences.