Baseball led me to her

In the early 70’s, like 1970 and 1971 I was considered a Private but hung around the Publics you know when you go to a catholic school or public school.  I was off of school because of holy days and the like, I would wait for the publics to come home for lunch or the end of their school day, and I’d hang out at a friends, Mike Knight’s (a public) house with his dad. When the boys got out for lunch, we’d play running bases...I remember thinking these guys run a lot faster than I do.. I’m guessing it was because they had gym, I had religion. Any way, I was usually a base with Mr. Knight so the publics did most of the running. One of the publics, I didn’t know all the guys, they kept calling Mark Ward. But more about him later. Baseball was always a part of my life somehow, whether running bases with the publics, wiffle ball, little league or even fast pitch (when you spray painted a square on any building for our strike zone)…if it was nice out we played baseball, more about that later...

40 years ago this July, as a fifteen year old high school baseball player, I couldn’t get enough baseball.  Whether playing or watching, all I wanted to do was play ball. A Sunday in July I played ball against a friend of mine Gary Restko, I remember after the game hanging out in the outfield talking about whatever... A girl at the game caught my eye, she was with a little guy about 4 years old and a friend. I remember seeing her hopping because of stepping on glass or something, weird that I remember that, I’m guessing Gary and my conversation wasn’t that compelling cause I was distracted by this girl hopping…

A day or 2 after my baseball game, I was playing fast pitch with some old grammar school friends (the publics), we played against the wall at Bogan HS girls locker room.. again, weird I remember that...I have no idea who won that day because it never really mattered. I was approached after our game by a couple of girls that would eventually be the best girl friends of my life. They said they had a friend who wanted to meet me, (I learn to find out it was the girl who stepped on something at the baseball game) good thing they came along because there is a good chance I wouldn’t have approached her unless as a willing participant in some sort of baseball game. Maureen O’Dwyer (the friend of the hopping girl) and Debbie Smith said the friend thought I was an awesome baseball player. Well, no she didn’t, I guess it was that she thought I was cute or could use a friend something like that…

40 years ago, I met Reenie Marquardt... 34 years ago today I married her... baseball brought us together in a weird sort of way. I wasn’t that good at baseball- (serviceable they call it now a days)- you know like a base in running bases..oh, that Mark Ward guy..Marquardt... that’s what they were saying, he was the fast Public guy Dan Marquardt (the brother of the hopping girl at the baseball game). Mike Knight, he was the guy who that day got the fast pitch game together, it was nice out that day so we played baseball, and now I do know who won that day…ME ..I won that day I met the girl who I would marry, that I would raise 3 awesome kids with, enjoy grandchildren with and today on our anniversary I have to decide how to say good bye to. I guess this where I need that religion class to help me more than any gym class ever could. I need the strength from our God to make the right decisions.. the strength to hold my family together… the strength to tell Reenie’s family and friends how much they meant to her…God I am going to need your help…

Reenie has fought the good fight, and she wants to fight some more, the problem is her body is unable to continue as her mind and heart would like. The strongest person many of us have known hopes she has taken one for the team, she know this seems unfair but she has said many times she hopes that because of her fight, her friends and family will never have to go through this that she is that one- in- whatever that has this diagnosis. The support group has been amazing through this battle and it is because of them she has endured as she received strength from them she was inspiring all of us.  The support team (the team she hopes she took one for the team for) of The Dea and Julie Murray, The sister-in-laws Cathy, Lori, Jennifer and Amy, The High School girls Maureen, Nancy, Peggy, Debbie, Jean and Denise, the Cheer moms Brenda, Carole, Gail, Linda, Pat, Kathy, Renee, Noreen,Eileen, Jean, Terri and Debbie, The High School girls part 2 Debbie, Michele, Laura and Rhonda, the cousins Terry, Patti, Eileen,Marybeth, Kathy, Colleen, Julie, Maureen, Mary,Aunt Shirley and Aunt Betty, and Joyce and the husbands of all. Her brothers Danny, Jimmy, Tommy and Mike have always there for her for she was the princess of the family. Dave Massat her chemo driver for 3 plus years, Bob "the flower guy" who came every Tuesday for 3 plus years, this group was instrumental in providing our family with dinners, rides, and a gift here and there to make Reenie just a little more comfortable. We can’t get over the love you gave our amazing mom, grandmother and wife, YOU helped us gain almost 7 years of comfort and love for our family.

 

Baseball won’t help me today.  My faith, family and friends will be my strength now, and I wouldn’t have any of you if it wasn’t for Reenie...

To Reenie; I have figured out I’m not going to say good bye, I’ll just say good night I love you and thank you , my parents adopted me from Ireland and brought me to the US in Sept 1958 the month and year you were born, you married me in March of 1979 and brought me into your world…YES I won that day I definitely won…

 

But today I have to take her home and start hospice home care, today is a tough day, it’s as tough a day for Shannon, Vito, Kris, Josh, Nathan, Gavin, Ryan, Krystal, Koren and Dea as you can imagine, we will need each other and our support group listed above. As tough as this is it doesn’t start to compare to what Reenie has been enduring and she alone has taught us all how to handle difficulties in life with such strength and grace…

Our family is so thankful for the amazing health care team Reenie has had on her side these past 6 years... Dr Gracias, Linda,... Dr Baridi, Meaghan Turner, Stephanie, Seema and Terry-the PA's, Cathy, Debbie 1, Debbie 2, Toni, Margaret, Joanne, Brian,..Dr Lyon, Scott and Melissa- PA's...All of her nurses, doctors, and PA's have treated her like family, but again, thats the effect she has on people... When you meet her, you love her, and thats all there is to it.

Thank you for indulging me as I rambled on and struggled with how to deal with the unknown at hand and ahead....Thank you

Love to all Tom