Tim Wakefield’s passing earlier this month was a shock to the world and offered a reminder to fans of Major League Baseball about the brilliance that was Wakefield’s pitching career. Now, his wife Stacey has shared some words that Tim Wakefield wrote and shared them with a massive audience. His brief thoughts near the end of his battle with brain cancer are both heart-warming and motivational.
Former Boston Bruins player Bobby Orr received these words of wisdom from Stacey Wakefield and posted them to X, sharing with fans the advice that Tim wanted everyone to see after his passing. In the note, Wakefield reflected on the things that he felt were worthwhile in his life, hoping to encourage others to follow in the same footsteps and provide a blueprint to a satisfying life.
“Never forget where you came from.” This is how the note from Wakefield starts, and it is fitting given that he was never a bluechip prospect and as a minor leaguer, very few expected him to find the level of success that he did with the Boston Red Sox.
Wakefield’s next point is one that I’m sure he hopes everyone reading the note can adopt. A dash of humility allowed him to realize that it takes a village to create a successful athlete or any other person of a different profession. So, the next part of the message is about passing on that gift and helping others achieve great things as well.
“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.”
Wakefield, who was well-known for being a charitable man with both his time and money, also wrote about the virtue and meaning that he found in charity. He offered a brief pitch for anyone who was on the fence about giving charitably.
He said, “I’ve been involved with different charities my whole career and I can can tell you that I’ve received much more than I’ve given.”
"*" indicates required fields
Lastly, before signing off on the letter, Wakefield added something amazing. As he stared death in the face, he reflected on what really mattered in his life. I wasn’t the money or the fame that gave him pride in his last moments on Earth. Here is what he says really matters when it is all said and done.
He said, “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?”
It’s rare that one can hear advice from someone while they are coming to terms with their mortality, so when the chance is given, it is important to heed those messages and take them seriously. Wakefield offered a pretty clear argument for why helping others is the right thing to do if you want to find inner peace, if we needed any more evidence to that point.
The featured image is a screenshot from an embedded YouTube Video.