He lived in the Waikanae area at the Pāekākāriki Park and was a partner to a black swan named Henry for 24 years. When Henry chose another mate, a female swan named Henrietta, Thomas stayed with them and helped raise their offspring—68 cygnets in total. After Henry's death in 2009, Thomas continued to live in the park but eventually went blind in his later years and retired to the Wellington Bird Rehabilitation Trust.