Guest Author - Mona McKenzie

I was running errands with my son when he pointed out the heart-wrenching news conference held by Nick Adenhart’s agent on a nearby television. Adenhart, along with two others, was tragically killed by an alleged drunk driver with a suspended license. Another passenger was seriously injured and is fighting for his life. Adenhart pitched six fantastic innings for the Anaheim Angels just hours before the hit-and-run accident. Nick’s father attended his son’s MLB debut, an event that was likely a dream-come true time for the entire Adenhart family. It’s hard to believe that such a promising young pitcher would pitch no more.

Many professional sports teams have dealt with the death of a player, during and/or after the official end of the season. Some teams use the loss of a player as a catalyst for a higher level of play. They feel as though their former teammate is looking down upon them and willing the team to win. Other teams never quite regroup and the emotional toll overwhelms them. Unfortunately for the Angels organization, they had to deal with Adenhart’s death merely days after their regular season started. The Angels postponed their next scheduled game, which would have been played less than 24 hours after Adenhart died. The organization took the time to pay tribute to Nick in a ceremony prior to their game against the Red Sox by placing his picture and huge #34 on the outfield wall, amongst other things. His teammates decided to keep a home and away locker reserved for Adenhart. Pitcher Jered Weaver honored his friend and would have been roommate by pitching a great game against the Red Sox. The fans honored Adenhart and his teammates with a standing ovation after the win over the Red Sox. Classy moves all around.

Whenever someone dies, especially in a tragic and sudden way, it is a shock. It’s natural for people to have trouble believing that a family member or friend is no longer amongst the living. Even though most sports fans don’t often have the opportunity to meet professional sports players, because of seemingly instant access to players and teams via television and internet, fans feel as though they know the players and have a connection with them. Adenhart grew up in close proximity to me, which made my bond with him as hometown-like player seem stronger. Neither my son nor I were able to meet Nick Adenhart, but, we were truly affected by his death. My son repeatedly asked me to explain why people drive drunk, a question to which I had no legitimate answer. As a mother, my deepest condolences are with Adenhart family. I hope to never find out what it’s like to lose a child. Thus far, the Angels have used this tragedy as a catalyst for victory. Let’s hope they can stay strong throughout the season and beyond.