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 
I was born in 1985 and have been not only a Mets fan but a Gary Carter fan since. When I heard about Mr. Carter my heart dropped… I know you will pull through just like you always have. I am forever a fan of the Best Catcher ever #8! Thoughts are with you and your family!
Gary, I want you to know that I did’nt become a Mets fan until 1993 I have seen players come and go in those 17 years but I never got to see you play I really wish I had! My husband says that you were the best and I missed something fantastic! I’ve been praying for you ever since I heard my heart just aches for you and your family . I pray the very best for you. Please get well soon! Always In Christ,Katie
I wish you the best and my heart goes out to you for a speedy recovery and battle. You will pull through 🙂
Our thoughts and prayers are with you Gary. Hopefully you can take strength from all the Mets fans who cheered for you over the years and who are still cheering you now. You were a great player, but are an even better person. I’m lucky to have had the chance to meet you. A picture you took with my little brother and I is still much cherished all these years later. We’re all behind you now as ever, rooting for you to get through this. Here’s to a speedy recovery…
We are rooting for you even more now, than when you thrilled us with your skills and spirit as a Met hero.
We’re praying for you and your family.
Kid, i remember in september 1980, against the Phils, you trapped Bowa & Rose between 3rd and home, and you got the crowd wild with cheers. And i also remember meeting you in 1982 at Grand Slam Baseball school, when you would hit homers outside the Cote St Luc ballpark for all of us young baseball students. Your enthusiam and desire to win were qualities you had then, and still have now, so they can be your tools to come out ont top of this challenge that life has put on you and your loved ones. May God be with you in this dark hour, because up here in Montreal, our hearts are with you. Bon courage, et laches surtout pas!
Me Jules Boisvert, from Montréal
You have the love and support of a wonderful family and thousands more who you’ve given so much to. Stay strong and beat this thing. I wish you the very best.
God Bless You Gary! My favorite Met of my youth! I had the pleasure of seeing you play live! Prayers for your recovery!
Rooting for you to get well!
Gary, U are one of the most hard working and focused individual’s I have ever had the honor of watching,,and thats just the baseball end of it,, I am very confident that u are 1000% that and more in your personal life..It seems that u have a great support group in your family and loved ones..U are needed by many so please stay strong and beat this..Lots of Love
Hey Gary,
So many memories. I wish you a real recovery so you can go back out and enjoy life and many more ballgames….I know many survivors and I know you won’t give up.
HEY GARY, THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES!
KEEP-UP THE FIGHT!
OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!
Gary,
You made me the happiest kid in 1986….. thank you!
You and the family are in my prayers….God will protect you and keep you safe during these rough times…. don’t give up!
God Bless you and your family.You are are in my prayers. I loved watching you play for the Mets & Expos. You were the best catcher to play the game in the 80’s and 90’s.
Gary,
I have been a METS fan since the mid 1970s. I always feared you as a member of the Expos. I always hoped you would walk because I knew you always had the METS number. When I heard you were coming to the METS, I couldn’t believe my ears. I thought it was a joke. I was in my car between work and college when you won the first game as a MET!!!! I loved you ever since. Now you were officially on MY team!!! Coming to the METS was one of the best decisions the team ever made. Without you, we wouldn’t have won in 1986. The team was truly special. Every time I watch the LETS GO METS video I smile and remember the greatest year of the METS. We are all behind you and know you are a fighter. God bless you and your family.
“THE KID” showed us how to play the game but more important, how to enjoy it. Gary we loved watching you do what you did, like no other since. Thanks. God’s blessing on you and your family.
Gary, my son & I are life long Met fans. The enjoyment and hard play you gave us and that fabulous 1986 season will never be forgotten. It’s how baseball should always be played, and that series is histoy and will viewed forever by us all.
Our prayers are with you and you family. Prayers work…my family is living proof of that !! God bless !!
Gary – If it wasn’t for you starting the rally, we dont win Game 6. You thought us how to never give up…..and proved it. We Met fans know that you have the strength to win this battle as well. We will continue to pray for you and your family through this difficult time. May God Bless you and your family always.
Dear Gary and Family: Gary, you are my favorite player of all time; not just because of baseball, but also for your love of Jesus, our Savior. May the blessings of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit with all of you, today and forever.
Get well soon KID. I’m sure you haven’t given up your toughness and the way you battled everything yet.
Thanks for all the AMAZIN’ memories. We will continue to pray and root for a speedy recovery. May God continue to bless you and your family. We wish you all the best. Love a life-long Mets and Gary Carter Fan!!!
Dear Gary, As a long time Mets fan I think it’s safe to say we all wish you a speedy recovery. We also send our best wishes to your family. God bless you.
Ray
You were my hero growing up, Gary and you still are. Best wishes and prayers to you and your family! Love ya, Kid!
Gary,
I pray for a full recovery and you get to dance at your grandchildrens’ weddings.
Dear Mr. Carter,
Having watched the grit and determination you brought to the diamond, there’s no doubt in my mind that you’ll use those same qualities to beat this and get better. You can do it. We believe.
David
Gary, thanks for all the joy you brought to Mets fans. I don’t care what cap you wore to the Hall. You’re one of us.
Gary…..You and your family will always in my prayers ……Your a fighter Gary and I know you can fight this………take care my friend,
Robert Martin,
Security Officer for The Mets
Hi Gary – on behalf of the MDT Tailgate Team: Wishing a you speedy recovery – Get Well soon.
Hi Gary,
My name is Tracey. I am a die hard Yankees fan who married a die hard Mets fan. Even so, I’ve always been a huge fan of yours. I’ve always enjoyed the way you played the game. So much heart, determination, & passion. I’ve always admired that about you. I had just started dating my husband, & he invited me to go to Cooperstown with his family (also die hard Mets fans) to watch you get inducted to the hall of fame. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I cheered & cheered for you. Not just for your accomplishments on the field, but for the kind of person you were off it. I know you will fight this battle just like you fought in every game you ever played. Thank you for being so much fun to watch on the field & a role model to many off it. Thoughts & prayers are with you & your family. Get well soon & God bless!!
Hey Gary, I loved you when you were with the Montreal Expos and I was and still am a huge Mets fan. Every time you came to back I always wished we had you on our team and when we got you I couldn’t believe it. Then you started doing those commercials for the newspaper and you would say “Is this how they deliver newspapers in New York?” when if I remember correctly they dropped them into Shea Stadium with a helicopter. Anyway, I do have one very special momento of yours, at the end of the 1986 regular season all of the players came out of the dugout and threw their caps into the stands to say thank you to all the fans. Well, I have your N.Y. Mets baseball cap you threw into the stands that day and I will cherish it for ever.Nobody will ever get it from me. My family and I wish you the very best of health, I will pray for you everyday and if you are ever in Las Vegas I would love to have you to my home with your wife for the best Italian dinner you could ever have. We love you Kid!
Good luck
When I was a young “8” yr old living on the south shore of Montreal I lived and breathed Expos baseball and dreamed of being a catcher like you. I played lil league and catcher was the only position I’d play and I mimicked your style. I was so serious about copying your batting stance and catching style other parents..humourously would call me show off! If Gary Cater did it that way I had to do the same, nobody could tell me otherwise.
I had the opportunity to meet you once at a store appearance at which my mother worked. All dressed in the my lil Expos uniform my grandmother had made me with your name and number on it I waited for you to come. I unfortunately got very shy and started to panic at the thought of meeting my baseball idol, so mom took me home. Luckly out the kindness of the Store owner he got an autograph from you on my behalf. Since then I’ve always regretted not having met you and probably have my picture taken with you.
But thats OK, I learned a lesson…..don’t be so shy!!
I would like to take this moment to pass on my best wishes and prayers to you and your family on a succesful a full recovery.
All the best, God Bless
Hey Gary,
As a kid growing up I always loved the NY METS, more importantly I loved playing baseball. I remember having a Gary Carter catchers mitt with the signature engraved in the palm of the glove. After watching the METS win the 1986 world series I was always excited to bring my glove to the park and play.
I want you to know that you have “Millions & “Millions” of fans praying for you and your family. Even though the journey has been tough for us METS fans, we still hang on and keep fighting.
Well Gary, We want you to have the same foresight and hang on and keep fighting and may you have the energy and strength to get beyond this.
Wishing you all the best and recovery!
Regards,
Frankie Jr.
I tell my 2 girls about what a quality man and player you are. I wish you the best and a speedy recovery. The 86 Mets were such a part of my childhood and I read your book like 3 times as a kid. The 86 Mets always give me hope when things don’t look good. I never give up no matter waht. I get a feeling you will again inspire me again at 37 years of age. I hope you know that millions of people are praying and pulling for you. We all love you.
SPEEDY RECOVERY, GARY!!!!!!! – STEVE
God Bless you, Gary. You are in my prayers, sir.
Mr. Carter-
May your faith in Him help you through this trying time. You refused to “make the last out of the world series” and you won’t make this last out now.
God Bless.
Tim St. Clair
Gary, My family had the pleasure of meeting you at Shore Christian Center. You’ve remained a favorite of ours through all these years because of your enthusiasm and your kindness. We will be keeping you and your family in our prayers.
Always a class act! We love you Gary and we’re pulling for you.
Gary, I was saddened to hear of your illness. You are “THE BEST OF THE BEST” I was at the first game you played as a New York Met, you hit a home run to win the game. I was at the game today and during the rain delay they showed 1986 highlights are you were terrific; the fans were cheering, it was like ’86 all over again. Thank you for helping to get the New York Met’s fans a ring and a championship. You are in my thoughts and prayers. You were inspirational to the team and a very strong leader. Stay strong and God Bless Kid.
Gary, I was saddened to hear of your illness. You are “THE BEST OF THE BEST”, and one of the main reasons for the 1986 team success. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. I was at the first game you played in as a New York Met, you never disappointed the fans. Your spirit lives on in Citifield. God Bless Kid!!
Gary……I took my son to Citifield today and while the game was delayed due to rain, they had replays on the big screen of the 1986 season, playoffs and world series triumph. Back in 1986 I was a 19 year old student at SUNY Albany. I remember like it was yesterday the nail biter series with Houston and the wild world series sixth game and ultimate 7th game win. You were one of my heros growing up and I have so many fond memories of baseball and of the NY Mets…..and you were such a big part of those memories. Seeing you on the big screen at citifield today brought back the 1986 campaign and along with it a big smile on my face.
I want to wish you good health and happiness, and I will pray for those in that order. I can’t thank you enough for all that you did on the field. It mde a difference in my life
Bist wish’s for the “KID” You were a tough player and I know you’ll have that same attitude now. I lost a young wife to lung cancer at the age of 37 on mothers day and for 5 yrs she denied anything the drs. told her because she had the will to see our only baby girl walk down the isle. Her faith in the lord and her friends were the greatest support throu those 5 yrs before she passed. I’m just saying this because no matter what’s told to you, turn to your faith and family and friends, they will help you beat this. My memories of you playing with that great smile are forever in my memories as a MET FAN since 62. Hang in there Gary and “BELIEVE”
Our prayers are with you and your family from a Met fan to a Met hero.
Gary: Can’t tell you how much joy and excitement you brought us all in our Albany (NY) dorm one night in Oct. some 25 years ago. I still get goosebumps today everytime I hear Bob Murphy or Vin Scully make the call. However, without the catalyst that started by far the most incredible comeback victory in my lifetime- a sharp single back up the middle by “The Kid”- Mets history might look significantly different today. For this and all the exciting moments you displayed as a New York Met, I/we thank you from the bottom of my heart! ..You need to fight this thing Gary, with all the inner strength you can muster and if you do so, along with all the prayers coming your way, you will beat this disease. You must-we’re all pulling for you and remember- we may very well need you to manage the team someday and bring back the magic of 1986!
Lots of love and good wishes, Gary. Get well soon, and may your family be blessed as you recover.
Gary, There is plenty of hope out there. 17 year survivor here. You have fought for everything your entire life now is no different. May God’s peace comfort you on this journey. You are a legend to many fans. You to will win this fight.
John
Gary&Family, I am praying for you all. I am a 17 year Lymphoma survivor so there is hope out there. Your support team and your faith will get you through this. Fight like there is no tomorrow and the rest will take care of itself. May God’s peace be with you on this journey. A fan of yours for life.
John
We are all thinking of you Gary and wish you as much strength as possible in these hard days. You were a great player, unforgettable, and I am so sorry you have to go through this. I will never forget your at bat and hit in the ’86 series, it was amazing, as were the Mets of that year. You have been an inspiration, and a fun person, we all love you and always will. God Bless you and your family.