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On Wednesday it was revealed that Stacy Wakefield, the wife of former Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield, had died from cancer.
Her death comes less than five months after Tim passed away in October due to brain cancer at the age of 57.
“It is with deep sadness that we share that our beloved mother, daughter, sister, niece, and aunt, Stacy, passed away today at her home in Massachusetts. She was surrounded by her family and dear friends, as well as her wonderful caretakers and nurses. The loss is unimaginable, especially in the wake of losing Tim just under five months ago. Our hearts are beyond broken,” the family said in its statement shared by the Boston Red Sox.
“We will remember Stacy as a strong, loving, thoughtful and kind person, who was as down-to-earth as they come. We feel so lucky to have had her in our lives, and we take comfort in the fact that she will be reunited with Tim, the love of her life.”
Just a few weeks after his passing, Stacy Wakefield found a message that Tim had written down before his death.
“Never forget where you came from,” Tim Wakefield wrote.
“Be a mentor to others.
“You didn’t get to where you are today by yourself and no matter what status you accomplish in life, you should assume the responsibility to help those who are less fortunate than you.
“I’ve been involved with different charities my whole career and I can tell you that I’ve received much more than I’ve given.
“I’ve also learned that it doesn’t matter how much money you’ve made, how big your house is or what kind of car you drive. What matters most is: did you make a difference in someone else’s life?”
Thanks to Curt Schilling speaking completely out of turn, many already knew that Stacy Wakefield was battling pancreatic cancer at the same time Tim was dealing with brain cancer.
Even with that knowledge, scores of people in and around baseball were devastated on Wednesday by the news of Stacy’s passing, expressing their sadness and sympathies to the family.
“The death of Stacy Wakefield just months after her husband, Tim, is devastating,” wrote NBC Sports Boston’s John Tomase. “A power couple in local philanthropic circles, and now they’re both gone. Thoughts to their two children amidst this unspeakable loss.”
“The world is infinitely worse without Tim & Stacy Wakefield,” wrote Pam Kenn, Red Sox Sr. Vice President of Community/Alumni/Player Relations. “To lose them both within 5 months feels incredibly unfair, especially to Trev & Bree. The only solace is that they are together, which is all they ever wanted to be. Thank you for everything, Wake and Stace. I love you.”
“I’m incredibly saddened to hear about the passing of Stacy Wakefield,” Red Sox beat reporter Ian Browne posted. “She gave such a moving tribute at Tim’s memorial service and it struck me how incredibly strong she was to be able to do that when she had been dealing with her own cancer battle for months at that point. Just heartbreaking for their two adult children, Trevor and Brianna to lose both their parents within such a small window of time.”