Saying goodbye to The Kid (1954-2012)
Baseball mourns the loss of Gary Carter, who helped the Mets to the 1986 title and was inducted in the Hall of Fame after a 19-year career with the Expos, Mets, Giants and Dodgers. “The Kid” passed away peacefully on Feb. 16, 2012, at the age of 57 in his home state of Florida after a courageous battle with brain cancer.
“Driven by a remarkable enthusiasm for the game, Gary Carter became one of the elite catchers of all-time,” Commissioner Bud Selig said. “‘The Kid’ was an 11-time All-Star and a durable, consistent slugger for the Montreal Expos and the New York Mets, and he ranks among the most beloved players in the history of both of those franchises. . . . I extend my deepest condolences to Gary’s wife Sandy, their daughters Christy and Kimmy, their son D.J., their grandchildren, his friends and his many fans.”
Major League Baseball invites fans to please leave any condolences and memories of Gary in this guestbook blog’s comments.
Remembering Gary Carter 
Gary, I became a Mets fan by choice, following Mike Piazza as a doe-eyed little kid. As I got older, I realized that Mike, however great he was, was nowhere near the gold standard for Mets’ catchers. You, sir, are one of the finest men to ever suit up and play the game we love. I wish you the swiftest possible recovery and I hope your family tempers this storm as best they can. All of Mets Nation is behind you! LONG LIVE THE KID!
Mr. Carter – as a life long Met fan you know we have been thru alot. Nothing was better then the day you arrived and brought us a winning attuide. Wtching you catch Doc was a thrill i will never forget 86 was so special but so were most of the 80s when you played for us. .When you entered the HALL OF FAME you wanted to go in as a Met and I wish they would have granted you this request.
The news of you illness was schocking to most of us but i know you can beat this. i remember when your knees were hurt and yet you persevered and it did not effect your proformance on the field. I have no doubt that you will overcome this illness and look forward to seeing you on old timers day at Citi Field for the next 30 years. God Bless.
I am not a Mets fan, but I was an Expo fan, when that team existed. You were an outstanding catcher, Gary, second only to Johnny Bench, among those I had the chance to watch. You are the best player ever to wear a Expo uniform, and one of the most pleasant men to play in Montreal.
I wish you good luck. Bonne chance, Gary!
Gary, you were something special to watch when you played!
You are something special to all of us.
You have spent your time on earth in amazing fashion, keep the fight alive!
Gary,
I have been a life long fan of yours. You are a big reason why I became a baseball fan and thus a Mets fan. You have showed incredible character in your life and in your career. I know you have tremendous fight in you. I wish you all the best ! God Bless You.
I was 9 yrs. old when i became a mets fan and can’t forget your kid like qualities on the field which is why i loved watching you play. Good Luck
Mr. Gary Carter, aka “KID”
I just wanted to tell you I have been a royal and devoted fan of yours for years and will continue to do so. I want you to also know that my prayers and thoughts are with you and tour family. My God be with you and your family. Just remember keep the faith and don’t give up!! I just hope that the New York Mets will retire your Number # 8 soon. You are trully a class champion on and off the field. I am so gratetful that I got the chance to watch and see you play during my lifetime. Thank you for all the great memories. I will never forget you, and nor will the “Baseball World”. Once again please don’t give up the fight and I know you will be a champion once again after this is all over with!! God Bless and take care.
Sincerely yours:
Joseph T. Morrissey
I was lucky to be at your first game as a Met… and a lot of games thereafter. Even when the count was not in your favor, you always battled. This is no different, and like 1986, you’ll beat this opponent like teh champ you are. Wishing you good health soon!
kid
thinking of you and all the great times you gave us.you will always be in our hearts and prays.you never let us down.you gave us everything you had and then some.
Dear Gary, Hold your head up high these are some dark days and comin to grips with reality is very tough. What you have been diagnosed with is horrible for you and your entire family and for that im very sorry . Please dont think im negative just truthful your life is not over but it will never be the same again, do not leave anything unsaid to love ones and live each day like it was your last like we all should. Never think you did anything to deserve this your a great person and dont waste your time on questions that youll never have answers for..Time is a great blessing that we all take for granted we are not allowed that luxury anymore. Good luck with your treatments if you have any questions you can reach me i know exactly what your going through, stay stong, stay positive and lean on your loved ones you need them.. god bless kid
Go Gary Go. You were a great Met. Get well!!!!! Thinking of you “The Kid”
Dear Gary Carter,
My prayers are with you and your family. Hold on to your family they will
pull you through this difficult time. Just like you pull the Mets In 86 to vicotry , with all you heart
and figth along our teammates. God Bless you.
ps
like all mets fan we’re here for you and will help you pull through:)
I wish all the best and God Bless
Gary,
We love you. Get well soon.
You were always my favorite Met. The ’86 season is one of my best memories! As people have said above: “Sending positive, healthy energy your way, Gary! Stay strong and fight!”
Get well Gary. We all loved to watch you an know that you are a great guy. Best wishes to you!
Gary, you’ve always been a class act on and off the field. Your passion and fire helped lead the Mets to the ’86 Championship. But the thing I am most grateful for from you was the treatment of my young nephew many years ago at Shea Stadium. We were in the dugout before a game about 20 years ago and you took time out to stop and talk with him (he was 12 at the time) and posed for a picture. I will never forget that, and neither will he. We will continue to keep you in our thoughts and prayers. Love ya buddy…
Bob
Gary . I have a huge 4 foot bobblehead of you in my room and this jewish kid from new york is rooting for you to get well . May the one above watch over you and heal you .
Gary Carter is my all-time favorite player. He is the reason I LOVE the Mets. My Dad took me to my first came in 1986 against the Atlanta Braves and Gary carter hit a home run. I wrote him a letter and he sent me back a personalized autograph letter. I am now 33 and Gary is still my favorite player. Such a class act!! I will be praying for his recovery. God Bless!
I have been a Mets fan since the beginning, through the good times and the bad, and those years that you played bring back some of my favorite memories. You are the best and I know that with your positive attitude you can win this one too. God bless you. Suzanne
Keep swinging for the fences, Gary!
Wishing you all the best and will keep you and your family in our prayers.
May God forever Bless and Keep you and your family. You are forever
loved and respected for all you have done and all that you will do.
Let’s go Mets, we love you Gary.
Dear Gary,
Dear neighbor…dear friend…you are so dear to each of your precious family members…you are loved by many…A hero not only of the Game of Baseball. but also a Champion on the Playing Field of Life. Always giving, working, & sharing with friends and fans. Dear Keeper of God’s Word, may He who created you perfect you as He carries you through from this day forward. ” Cast your eyes upon Jesus, look full into His wonderful face…and the things of this earth will grow strangely dim through the Power of His Glory & Grace. ” Countless prayers are coming your way from next door and from all families that are next to you and yours in heart.
God has you in the palm of His hand. You are safe!
Love,
Judy
Dear Mr. Carter,
Even though I am only 17 years old, I love watching and hearing about your 1986 World Series team. I have read so much about you and I have heard about how wonderful of a player and teammate you were; one of the most emotional players out there, always willing to put up a good fight. Continue to fight against this terrible disease. You will get through it. You and your family are constantly in my thoughts and prayers. Go get em’, Kid.
Dear Mr. Carter,
It was you and the rest of that awesome Mets team in ’86 that has made me a proud Mets fan forever.
Thank you, Jim Murray
Ventura,CA
Dear Gary, Think of this as a player rounding third.. You know your going to get hit, but you will hang on to the ball. In the same way you will stand up to this disease and you will beat it. I have been a Mets fan since they started, but we are all with you, regardless of whom we root for.
Right now we are all Gary Carter fans.
Gary, we’re almost exactly the same age. You’ve long been one of my favorite Mets. My hopes and prayers will always be with you.
Kid, You were one of the greatest players of all time; Met, Expo, or anyone. Stay strong 8. You are in our daily thoughts and prayers,
Hi Gary i hope my prayers can help you ……God bless.
ex-Expos fan
You were my sports idol for the last 25 years and I have the # 8 in almost everything in my life because of that. I hope and pray you are once again successful, this time in beating cancer and continuing to live a happy and fulfilling life. All the best and God Bless. We all have faith in you “KID”.
All of the MetsNation send our best to you! God Bless
Hey Gary,
You were and still are my hero ….. I just loved you and yes you are younger than I am. Thanks for the wonderful baseball Met memories that you have given me.
God bless you and keep you under his wing.
Ty
Hang in there Gary Carter. You brought us so many incredible memories and now we give you the support you deserve. God Bless you!
Nothing but love & prayers for a great man and his family.
Hang in there Kid, we are all praying for you.
Mobs
Hang in there, Gary. Always been a big fan!
Hey Kid,
I was born the day you guys clinched a playoff spot in ’86 and I was a month old wearing a METS onesie outfit when I watched you guys win the World Series, and then my Dad took me to my first METS game when I was 7 months old…. needless to say I’ve been a METS fan since the day I was born and I don’t believe anyone plays (or played) the game the way you did. You were an amazing player and overall nice guy.. I even went to LI Ducks games to watch you manage them!! My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family… May God bless and watch over all of you.
Gary,
My prayers are with you, as your’s have been with my family in the past during my brother Bob’s fight with Leukemia, and my dad’s struggle with Parkinson’s.
You are such an inspiration! Your never ending enthusiasm and can-do attitude is what makes me proud to be a Gary Carter fan and supporter.
I’ve been a Met fan since inception, watching my first game at the Polo Grounds in 1963. So much history….so many stars…but none quite like the person Gary Carter, who happened to be a fantastic ballplayer, and a true “fan of the fan”.
Thanks Gary for everything you do.
I know in my heart you’re gonna beat this. I won’t stop praying.
Gary… My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. You were a great Met and the glue that held that 86′ team together. I hope you fight this like you faught so many battles at the plate and behind it. Get well soon so we can see you at Citi Field!
May the strength that you shared with me regarding our mothers going through their cancer battles fill your spirit and those around you. You can do it Kid! God Bless!
Gary, you’ve always been my favorite Mets player. If anyone can beat this to a pulp, it’s you! Sending prayers for strength and healing.
Hang in there! The love of God never fails. You were a great player, a good man, but more than that: you are a son of God.
May He keep you and bless you as you go through this test. Hang in there that with God’s grace you might still “hit it” out of the park.
Gary..I have to echo what somebody else said here… “Sending positive, healthy energy your way, Gary! Stay strong and fight!”
I’m praying for you big guy. You gave a lot to us during your playing days and the least I can do in return is to pray for your health. God Bless, Jack Shea
Sending positive, healthy energy your way, Gary! Stay strong and fight!
Kid,
My fondest memories growing up was watching you play ball!! Heart and soul of the most exciting baseball team that ever has played the game 86′ Mets!! Please no that there are so many METS fans praying and rooting for everyday. You are a hero to so many. Keep that faith and know that you will get through this and when you do we will have the Wilpons throw you a great big party and CITIFIELD!!
Get well “Kid”
Mike Romano
Tough, battler, clutch, set examples of mental and physical toughness. Never quit then and won’t quit now! Thoughts and prayers to Gary and his family. GOD Bless.
My thoughts and prayers go out to “The Kid”. He is a fighting champion and I know he will beat this. Good luck Gary and God bless..
Dear Gary,
You are one of my childhood heroes and one of the greatest and most beloved player ever to play for the Mets!
I have no doubt that you will maintain your faith, positive energy, and courage needed to get you and your family through this difficult time.
Know that you have the prayers and well-wishes of your many fans.
May God Bless you, Gary Carter! and Long may you live, in health and happiness!
My thoughts are with you and your family Gary. Thank you for the many great memories you gave us here in New York as one of the greatest all around players the Mets have ever had!!!
Amazing Met! Wish you the best and strength to fight! The same way you fought for us in the World Series! God Bless!