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 
You are one of my favorite all time ball players. I was truly moved when I heard of your ordeal. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. You made my life a good deal happier by your presence in a Mets uniform. May you find peace and comfort as you fight this terrible illness. I think of you often. Stay strong!
I hope everything keeps going well for you. Once a Met always a Met so take comfort in all of us Mets fans behind you and praying for you! God bless you and your family.
Gary, they just don’t make them like you anymore–unfortunately. You were a great athlete and a great role model for the kids. You are truly a credit to the sport! I wish you all the best! Hang in there, kid!
Get well Gary, we’re praying for you. Sending positive thoughts to you and your family for a speedy and full recovery. You were my favorite Met growing up and you still are. When we were almost out of Game 6, you came through and kept us going. I also remember Opening Day 1985 with that game winning 10th inning HR off of Neil Allen of the Cardinals for us to win 6-5.
Dear Gary, I had the great pleasure of meeting you back in Spring Training of ’03 and ’04. You signed a few things, took a couple of pictures with me, and both talked joked with me for a few minutes also. As I remember you kidded me about mistaking you for being left handed. When I had said, “wow, you’re a lefty, like I am,” your response was a very sweet and jovial, “I am?” The following year when I reminded you of it, you once again kidded with me as you told me jokingly that you don’t wear your hat “the wrong way.” Anyway, Gary, you’re a beautiful person who’s always smiling and who always takes some time to spend with the fans. Moreover your fabulous enthusiasm while playing, especially in ’86, was very contagous and quickly fired me up while watching the game. You make it fun to be a METS Fan. My thoughts, and prayers are with you and your family. You can beat this Gary, I know it. As another fan wrote to you in this card, “throw it out!” 🙂 I hope to see you either in Port St. Lucie, or at Citi Field, or perhaps both sometime very soon.
I met you in the early 80’s at the Mets Spring Training stadium in Port St. Lucie and you were such a nice guy. I still remember the Mets winning in 1986. My family and I are sending you and your family ours thoughts and prayers, Take care!
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Can we please have this spam removed? In very poor taste.
please remove this crap….very poor taste, and disrespectful,
Dear Gary:
I am now 35 years old and I was 10 years old in 1986. I was an obsessive fan of the 1986 Mets and I remember how you were an integral part of the team that brought so much joy to New York at the time.
I wish you all the best and I hope you have a full, speedy recovery.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Slatus
Hi Mr. Carter,
I just wanted to take the time to wish you the best of luck and a speedy recovery! As a child, you were my favorite Met growing-up; I even wore #8 and played catcher my whole childhood because of how much I admired you as a player and a person.
I can also relate to the struggle you are going through: I was diagnosed with cancer at age 29, and underwent 12 weeks of chemotherapy. Now, five years later, I can say that you can beat this with the same qualities you brought to the field: perseverance and determination! Good luck!
Sincerely,
Brian J
As a Braves all my life, I can remember dreading Gary Carter coming to the plate against us, whether with the Expos or the Mets. It seems he always picked on Braves pitching. For that matter, National League pitching.
Still, what a class act! Fight tough and hard, Gary, like you always have!
Know that you and your family are in the prayers of thousands of Mets fans and that God will never give us more then we can handle. Bessing and love!!!!
My childhood was spent watching you and the rest of the great Expos from that era and you were definitely one of my favourite players ever. Please know that we are all pulling for you & your family during this time. Sending love & best wishes from Saint John, New Brunswick.
Pulling & praying for you kid. Show us all this can be beaten!
Gary,
I remember thinking that if Mets could sign you that would be the thing that brings us a world championship. And I knew that our destiny was sealed as I sat in the stands at your Shea debut and saw you hit the game winner over the fence. I knew how great a player you were, but what I didn’t know at the time was how great a person you are. Your smile was infectious and we were so blessed to have you wear the orange and blue. I cant thank you enough for giving me such great moments during your time in New York. We Met fans are so proud of you. Keep the faith .One thing being a Met fan have proved is that miracles do happen.
Thank you
God Bless
Mark H
As a young catcher, I idolized you when you were an Expo.
As a young adult You thrilled me to no end helping bring a championship
to my beloved Mets.
I’m now 45,and a proud member of our catcher’s union,and still idolizing you.
I’m praying for you everyday Mr. Carter,I’m sure you will beat this,Hell,you’re Gary
F’N Carter !
I love you man,stay strong and like Jimmy V. said,”dont give,dont ever give up”
God love you and bless you.
Mark Santana
Best wishes and a multitude of positive thoughts to Gary and h is family. I know you are a man of great faith, and hope that your faith and belief provides you and your entire family with a great source of strength and support in this time of need. WISHING YOU A SPEEDY RECOVERY!!! Lets go kid
Sending much positive energy your way.
Gary,
I have been a Mets fan my entire life. My fandom reached a fever pitch in the late 80s with you behind the plate. You epitomize all I love about baseball and the Mets – truly one of the good guys!
The thoughts of my entire family are with you and yours at this difficult time. We wish you all the best!
The Smiths from North Carolina
Dear Gary,
Our thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family. You are an inspiration to all people. To me you were the heart and soul of the 1986 Mets. I loved you than as a player and now as a kind and wonderful human being. Keep fighting, you deserve the best. God Bless you.
Regards The Naso Family
Dear Gary and the Carter family, You are one of the reasons I fell in love with baseball. I never paid attention to it until the 1986 World Series and then I fell in love with the METS and baseball. You were a big part of that. I am praying for you and wishing you the best. Love, Amy Goldshine
Gary, I think all of baseball fell in love with your infectious smile, and your love for the game. You have always carried yourself with the utmost class, and always came through in the clutch. You’re up against a different opponent, but there is no doubt you will hit it out of the park!Channel the love and well wishes of all your fans, friends and family, and use it as strength to continue the battle you will beat.
Dear Gary, glad to hear the treatments are going well. We all know what a fighter you are! Be well and take care of yourself. We look forward to seeing you at Citifield in good health!
my thoughts and prayers are with you and your familu
You are in my thoughts and in my prayers, Gary. Thank you so much for all of the happiness you brought to the fans of baseball. Your life has been incredibly meaningful and you are an inspiration to all. God bless you.
GO GARY GO!
Love and Prayers, Gary….Love ya!
Dear Gary Carter,
You were and always are a true gentleman and one of my favorite Mets of all time! Throw that cancer out!
John V.
Gary, I and my family and friends wish you the best in the coming days that you feel stronger and stronger. You were an insperation to all the Met fans from day one and you proved that in the 1986 World Series. My prayers are out there for you and your Family members
Gary, amazing news that the doctors have knocked out 80% of the tumor. Here’s to getting rid of that last 20%!
Hey Gary, If your lucky enough to really read this message, let me tell you something. If you whant to get 100 cured of this thing that you have, heres what you do. Arrange for a prfessional hypnotyst to record a an hour long session of auto suggestive hypnotic therapy. Listen to this thing day in and day out. just before bedtime. Have him include auto suggestive thoughts like for example. With a thunder storm or wind or rain background noise. hell say things like. “”feel the water landing on your head and melting away all signs of tumors or masses or anything that is not supposed to be there. You are clean of any illness and diseases. Every molecule and cell of your body is bombarding full strengh this weak little situation of yours. (((it may sound silly Gary, but this stuff is gold. You see gary the mind is the last unexplored continent. we as humans dont come close to what our own brain is capable of doing. when you are sick, the stress of negative thoughts and the fear of possibly dying, kills us before the actual illnes does. Gary please do this and see for yourself. As you listen to your personalised hypnotism therapy, (((((you must visualise everything the thrapist is saying, and thank god, alah, the sun or whomever you beliueve in for starting the process of curing your illnes 100% asap. pronto. like yesterday
If you get goose bumps while your listening to your hypnotic session.
Its working better than good
Go getem tiger
Roberto Guilbet
1986 World Series Fan
Keep fighting 8! We’ve heard you have it 80% in control. So it’s 3 and 0 now. Swing away, Kid. Beat this.
Many years ago I was in San Francisco on business. I saw Gary Carter in the Delta Crown room. I asked him for autographs for my 2 young sons. He took out his briefcase and signed on a large action photograph for each of them. They still have them today. I thought then and told him what a classy guy !!
gary thanks you for helping the mets win a world series in 1986 I could not be more proud to be a lefelong mets fan than in those days. you guys were the best you knew it and loved to rub the other teams nose in it!. Ahhh those were the days!!. Somehow I pray the mets can win another championship although it seems so far away atr this point. God bless you and your family and we all pray you will get better. We love you KID!!!
Gary, I grew up in the 80s as a huge Phillies fan, but I always enjoyed watching you play. We’re all pulling for you, wishing you and your family the best.
Feel better soon. Never forget you
Gary, you are a hero to so many of us–not only on the field, but the way you are a model off the field for your family and friends. You make all of us Mets fans very proud, and we are praying for you!!
Jack Trammell, Ph.D.
Randolph-Macon College
GARY CARTER
MY FAVORITE met of his time, and there still has NOT been anyone to top him,
I stilll appreciate the autograph on my baseball. One of the best birthday gifts I ever had.
The latest I heard is good news that tumors have shrunk. I hope it is a sign of things to come.
Dear Gary,
I am praying for you and your family. You are one of the reasons that I am so passionate about baseball. You are a true rock star. Stay strong
Go get ’em, Kid!
Dear Gary Carter hope you are feeling better. You and your family are in our prayers!!! You are my favorite baseball player!! I have been fighting a battle with Crohn’s disease since i have been 18 years old, it is incurable but I have learned to deal with it and living everyday to the fullest!! Thanks for your inspiration over the years!
Gary;
I’ll always remember the day you arrived as a Met. How we all felt like the missing piece of the puzzle was found! A legit cleanup hitter and veteran backstop to lead a young talented pitching staff. But we got a lot more than that! Your enthusiasm was contagious! GET WELL SOON!
Dear Mr. Carter,
The 1986 Mets team and world series victory remains one of my all time best memories. I can still close my eyes and become, once again, that twelve year old girl glued to the TV- hands clasped in prayer that it wasn’t all about to end ! This worked in ’86 and it will work again in 2011. You are a “kid” at heart, but a warrier in the game and you will win this fight. You and the entire 1986 team are family within my heart. God Bless
Mr. Carter
You were my Mom’s favorite player. Back in the 80’s we went to a signing where you and Mickey Mantle were signing. You signed a poster for her and spoke very sweetly to her. She had that poster on her wall and was always so proud of it. I will be always grateful to you for your kindness.
Like many others I remember opening day 1985 and the chants of GARY as we left the stadium. We would not have had 1986 without our hall of fame leader.
I’ve has 3 cancer surgeries and I’m 60 and never been better. I know you will be able to say the same thing. I’m an agnostic but I know my Mom is somewhere pulling strings for you.
Hey Kid. Glad to hear that your tumors are shrinking. I just know that you’ll beat this now. I sure I speak for all Met fans when I say that we hope to see you at Citi Field again one day. Hang in there. We’re all rooting for you. Sincerely, Neal Dreznick. P.S. My sister Stacy is one of your biggest fans.
Mr Carter,
I don’t know much about baseball but I do have something in common with you. The same type of brain tumor that you have, I live in Palm Beach County, Florida, I take Avastin and Chemo, I have the same regiment that you are on. For me it has been 2 years and 20 days. I just celebrated my anniversary. It has been a great fight. My 3 kids and husbans thought I was a monster. But since I got off the steroids I became normal, the new normal as I call it. I do not know many people that have a Glio. May the Lord protect and heal you, I will continue to keep you and your family in my prayers.
Should you want to come to our church, I am a member of Florida Gardens Baptist Church , 7800 Lake Worth Road, Lake Worth, 33467
This crazy old world will always need someone like you to set great examples for the younger generations. Hang in there and fight just like you did in the1986 playoffs and world series. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Mr. Carter and family. Thank you so much for all the great memories as a Mets fan. I was a big fan of yours even before you came to the Mets and I was so happy the day I learned you were going to be a Met. As a young boy how could it get any better – your favorite baseball player playing on your favorite baseball team. My wife and I wish you the best of luck and our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family as you continue to recover and beat this disease.
Dear Mr. Carter
You are 1 of the main reasons I became a met fan. It was such a thrill to always watch you play. I even watched you manage the LI Ducks a few years back. I am praying for you and I know you will pull through. You have fire and a strong will. Good luck and god bless
A huge fan
kevin debello
Hi Mr. Carter,
I watched or listened to you play growing up. Thank you for all the fun times you provided in my childhood and the memories as a Mets fan.
To Gary and your family. You were the greatest Expo to ever put on the red white and blue and I wish you all the best in your battle. Stay strong and my thoughts and prayers to you and your family.