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.
All best Gary.Stay strong. May God bless you and your family and may you have a speedy and complete recovery.
from all the good folks in Montreal, the KID was great up here for most of his great
career in the MAJOR LEAGUE, what ever,
im sure every CANADIAN and AMERICAN fans of the EXPOS are really
PULLING for YOU.
you are and will always be a WINNER
WE ARE ALL WITH YOU
WARREN D MCUNN and family,CHATEAUGUAY, QUEBEC, CANADA
May God be with you and your family on this journey. Thank you for the wonderful years you gave to the Mets and for being an excellent example to young players. Not just as a player, but as a person.
Dear ” Kid ” :
You were one helluva ballplayer. My prayers are with you and your family.
All the best.
Sincerely
Tom Balbert
Wishing you well Gary Carter! Just “Believe!!!”
Mets fan from Jersey
From a former Dodger Spanish broadcaster, our prayers are with you and your family; you were always great even when in the opposite side!
Know in your heart that each and every day you are receiving a standing ovation filled with prayers and well wishes.
Hey Gary—I hope and pray you mend well and mend soon. The good Lord willing you’ll be stroking some singles and doubles to some future Hall of Famers soon!
And remember one thing: “PMA..all the way” (positive mental attitude)!!!!
cs
met fan in little rock
Gary,
Wishing all the best for you.
I remember your competiveness as a ball player and am certain that you will be just as competitive in this battle.
God Bless you.
Steve Drysch
to my hero as a youth: as `86 taught you, even with 2 outs and 2 strikes you are still in the game. beat this Gary!
This comment isn’t by Mike Morris. Please correct to rightful author Miguel Baez.
Thank you.
I pray, wish and hope with all my heart that you, Gary Carter, make the up most absolute health recovery in the history of all recoveries and to anyone else that finds themselves ill.
God Bless.
hey gary – met you in nj while you were coaching the ducks who were playing the patriots…you were waiting for your new grandchild to be born. please know my prayers are always with you and the rest of your family. hang in there – the treatment is awful i know – your faith will pull you through.
xoxo
reni
Sending out prayers to the man who defined courage every day he put on the shin guards and chest protector. But there is so much more to Gary Carter than just what you did between the lines! Thank you for being the caring, loving person that you are and know that we all love you. God bless your recovery.
Great news, Kid. Keep reading these notes. And keep swinging that bat, bro. Kick this thing like you kicked the Sox’s ass in 86.
Hi , Kid Carter
So glad your getting better , I know the treatment for Cancer sucks and your showing great courage. You can beat this thing! We love you Gary, bye
We are all praying for you in Montreal
I’m so glad to hear the good news. My wife and I rooted for you when you played and we continue to do so now. You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Great News ! Best wishes to you. Keep it going.
Gary – glad to hear the great news! keep fighting and you’ll beat this disease.
we’ll never forget what you did in game 6, bottom of the 10th, down by 2 runs, 2 outs and nobody on!
I just heard on the news that tumros are 80% better according to Gary’s daughter..GREAT NEWS. Keep up the great job Gary. All of NYC AND THE WORLD is praying for you…
JUST HEARD SOME GREAT NEWS , KEEP UP THE GOOD FIGHT, ROBERT (BU WE LOVE YOU “KID”
ROBERT (BUTCH) BEEBE
Get Better Big guy u were a big reason that the mets won in 86
Gary – Wishing you well. I note that “Dr. V” at Duke found improvement and that’s great. I live near there, in Chapel Hill, and have gone to Duke exclusively since moving to North Carolina so I know you will get the best care available. Although I grew up a New York Giants (baseball) fan, I have been a Mets fan since 1984 and I know all Mets fans are hoping for a full recovery for “the Kid”. You have my best wishes.
Gerry Bernstein
Chapel Hill NC
Hi Gary – It’s me Betsy from Charlotte. I want you to know how you have been in my prayers since you got sick. You were my favorite Met at the time of the 1986 Mets. I have always been a Mets fan since 1962 and during the decades I have had different favorites. I even talked to you on TV one night in New Jersey. I am hoping that you are feeling better and that you will beat this cancer you have. Keep your spirits up and hopefully the Mets will win for you and me…..Keep the love going.
Betsy Richardson
Gary: If you think well . . all will be well.” We’re praying for big time
Zev
just wanting to wish you a speedy recovery and its not your time yet. fight with all of your might, and before you know it. It’ll be good times all over again just like it was in 1986 at Game 6 of the World Series. 8
Gary,
You are truly a man who I tell my 5 kids to model when they are on the athletic fields. We admire your all out attitude no matter what the score. Keep Believing.
Jim, Colleen, Michaela, Payton, Sean, Mark, and James Napoli
gary just want to wish u all the best in your recovery we r all saying a prayer for u
Brother Gary, To a true Champion of Life, may the Lord, lead you and guide you through this tough time, and he will see you through it all. May God bless you and your Family, I have you in my prayers everyday! Lets go Mets!
Brother Gary, to a true Champion of Life, believe in the Lord, and he will guide you through this tough period, and he will see you through everything. May God bless you and your Family, you are always in my Prayers!
Gary I remember watching you in the 80’s with the Mets and what a great competitor you are. I wish you the best and I know you can beat this thing. Good Luck and Good Bless
Dear Gary:
My thoughts and prayers are with you my brother. I know this is a very tough time for you and your family. I have faith that the Lord will heal you and that you will be around for many more years. Thank you for playing for my team The Mets and for bringing us a World Championship. You are a true champion.
Kid – Our prayers for a speedy and complete recovery. Will never forget your energy and exceptional talent. Thanks for the memories!
Hi Gary,
I wish you all the best. Met you when I was little kid. You were a class act. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Gary, I grew up a mets fan in the 80s and loved watching you and the mets play as I still do now. You were a great player and true role model in times when players seperated themselves from fans.I will never forget all the great memories. I watched your 300th hr on t.v… God bless and get well. Kyle
Gary –
You always were and remain a class act. You were the glue that kept those 80s Mets teams from going off the deep end. Thank God we got to enjoy everything you did with the Mets. May God reward you now with a full recovery and many productive years to come. This world still needs you!
Best Wishes Always,
David Behrmann
I’ve been thiking for a long time what to say to you Gary. It may be something you’ve heard a lot lately, but it’s heart felt from me. GOD BLESS YOU!! You’re an inspiration to us all.
Kid:
You were so great and such a role model for kids alll over.
I am a 75 year old Mets rooter who will always remember your steady play and team leadership.
I wish you well.
Joe Greene
Perhaps you may even remember, only days after winning the world series in 1986 I did a poloriod commercial with you at a very cold Shea Stadium. As a 5 yr old, you teaching me how to catch and throw at the Shea plate is one of my earliest memories, as well as me wondering why you were just as nice and smiling when the cameras stopped rolling.
Heres to the future! My best wishes and prayers are with you; I still look forward to you managing the Mets someday!
Gary,
Ill never forget how nice you were to my brother and myself when we were milling around in the Shea picnic/parking area in 1987 long before a scheduled game that night. My mother was running a group outing for Resurrection Ascention church in the picnic area and my brother and I arrived early to do some set up and perhaps see a few players pull into the centerfield parking lot. Well, players arrived one by one and invariably they ignored us and got security to chase us away.
But not you Gary. You not only said hello, you waved us over and asked us why we were there. When we told you, you became even friendlier and shook our hands, showed us your world series ring and signed a ball for my brother. Ive never forgotten your act of kindness almost 25 years later and ive told this story to numerous friends over the years.
Our thoughts, prayers and wishes for a full recovery are with you always. Heres to seeing you again at Citi Field someday!!
Gary, even though I did not have the opportunity to watch you play. You still inspire me and all of us Mets fans to believe. Well, we still believe that you can still fight cancer and continue to believe in victory over Cancer. Best wishes and god bless Hall of Famer ” Kid Carter”.
Hang in there Gary, you’re a real trooper!!
Gary down two runs with two outs in the 10th inning you believed.. Keep believing now!!
gary,
may god bless you and keep you strong
your in our prayers
Best of luck to you Gary! #expos
Your strength now is a great example of how you’ve conducted your life. My thoughts are with you!
Thoughts, prayers and love to Gary Carter! #mets
Gary, we are all thinking of you and praying for you. Stay strong and know you have millions of fans rooting for you!
Stay strong Gary… you are truly the man by any measure !