Friday's Internet Edition, May 09, 2008.
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| Larry Walker stands beside a statue that was unveiled by the Southwest Forsyth Little League at a special dedication held earlier this year. Baseball organizations from the Little League level to the Major League level honored the memory of Erik Walker during 2007. |
For countless reasons, 2007 was a year unlike any other in the lives of Larry Walker and Peggy Smith.
Reeling from the loss of their son, Erik Walker —an all-star professional baseball pitcher who drowned while canoeing in late 2006 —Larry and Peggy each described themselves as “totally numb” when the new year rolled around last January.
And it was understandable. Their day-to-day lives had seemed surreal after receiving the devastating news that 23-year old Erik had disappeared in Virginia’s New River on a chilly October day. Hundreds of friends, family and well-wishers did everything they could to ease the suffering by sharing tears of their own and expressing their most sincere condolences. But as any grieving parent will attest, there are simply no words —no matter how heartfelt — that can ease the hurt from such a catastrophic situation.
But last spring, just as first pitches were being thrown out across the land on a brand new baseball season, an amazing chain of events began to unfold. League officials, former coaches, teammates and even fans who knew Erik, from the Little League level all the way up the Major League level, started contacting Larry and Peggy. Their individual plans varied but the collective mission was the same —to publicly honor a promising young athlete and role model who touched the lives of so many.
“It was just unbelievable,” Larry explained while seated at Erik James Walker Memorial Field on the grounds of the Southwest Forsyth Little League complex in Clemmons. “There were dedications and tributes from all over. And every one of them was beautifully done. It meant so much to both of us that people would go to such lengths to honor our son.”
Peggy agreed. “Everyone has been so kind. It has been a very long, painful year but these (tributes) have helped a great deal.”
Even strangers have provided a sense of relief. Peggy tells an incredible story of one who wrote her a letter from New York and, unknowingly, mailed it at a time when she was nearly at wits end.
The letter, penned by Dave Sistaro of Staten Island, was originally dated May 17th. But fearful of bad timing, Sistaro didn’t decide to send it until September. It included a photo of Erik and a page-long account of how special Erik treated Sistaro’s six-year old daughter when his Hudson Valley Renegade baseball team had visited the Staten Island Yankees during the 2006 season. Peggy received the letter and photo on September 15th, just one day prior to her birthday.