Remembering Gary Edmund Carter

Last May we became aware that Gary Carter (former MLB Expos/Mets player) was diagnosed with the same brain tumor that Tom has, GBM.  It was bittersweet for us to read that Gary went home to be with his Lord last Thursday.  Bitter that he is gone from this life, sweet that he is with Jesus!  What a delight for me to read the family's Caring Bridge blog and see their great faith and love for God and His Word.

GARY EDMUND CARTER "The Kid" Gary Edmund Carter "The Kid" 57, of Palm Beach Gardens, FL went to be with the Lord on February 16, 2012. Born April 8, 1954 in Culver City, CA, he was the son of James H. and Inge. Gary will forever be remembered by the love of his life, his wife Sandy, with whom he enjoyed 37 years of marriage, three children, Christina (Matt) Kearce of Palm Beach Gardens, FL, Kimberly (Kyle) Bloemers of Palm Beach Gardens, FL, and Douglas of Los Angeles, CA, his brother, Gordon (Linda) of Santa Ana, CA, three grandchildren, Carter and Brady Kearce and Alyse Bloemers (who has a sibling on the way in August!), along with countless other family, friends and fans who were blessed to know him. Gary was pre-deceased by his parents. Nicknamed "The Kid" for his infectious smile and enthusiasm, Gary spent the last two plus seasons coaching baseball for NCAA Division II Palm Beach Atlantic University following a Hall of Fame playing career in Major League Baseball. Inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003 following a brilliant 19-year career, Gary is known as one of the greatest catchers to ever play the game. Spending the majority of his career playing for the Montreal Expos and New York Mets, Gary helped lead the Mets to a World Series Championship in 1986 as he started a two-out rally in Game Six to help propel the Mets to an improbable victory in seven games. Gary leaves behind an incredible legacy in many circles for his athletic abilities, charitable endeavors, and unyielding faith in his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The number of lives Gary touched is countless. The founder of the Gary Carter Foundation, he was instrumental in raising funds and awareness for such causes as leukemia, juvenile diabetes, the Autism Project of Palm Beach County, and providing educational resources to benefit local schools. The family would like to extend a special thank you to the wonderful people at Hospice of Palm Beach County and Visiting Angels for helping Gary rest comfortably the past several weeks. Additionally, the family would like to thank Dr. James Harris for his personal attention and care for Gary throughout this journey. Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial service on Friday, February 24 at 7:00 PM at Christ Fellowship Church, 5343 Northlake Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens, FL. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a donation be made to The Gary Carter Foundation, 580 Village Blvd., Suite 315, West Palm Beach, FL, 33409. Your donations will go to support the Autism Project of Palm Beach County, Hospice of Palm Beach County, and Palm Beach Atlantic University Baseball.

Published in The Palm Beach Post from February 19 to February 27, 2012