On June 22nd, 2002...I was having the best day. I got to get out of work early, so my mom picked me up as usual, and we went to Wawa to get sodas and sandwiches as a treat before I went to my friend Katie's house to give her the gift for her birthday which was that day.
We pulled into Wawa.
"Darryl Kile died." my mom said as she stopped the truck.
I was fucking stunned. Surely my mom did not mean THE Darryl Kile. Darryl Kile who was my favorite non-Braves player. I always admired him and his pitching. Everyone who met him always said how wonderful and kind he was to his fans-young and old. How he always talked to them like theyre a person, not just a fan.
And he died?
"What...?" I asked stunned.
"Died in his sleep." my mom said, "I just found out."
He was not old. Not at ALL! He was 33. And he died in his sleep. I fought off the tears and ordered my sandwich.
I don't think my mom knew what a big fan of Darryl I was. I collected every card of him I could get my hands on.
I silently ate my food as my mom drove me to Katie's to drop her gift off. She wasnt home.
I went home and looked at my favorite Darryl Kile card which I had sitting next to my Nascar diecast collection. It was the one I wanted him to sign if I ever got to meet him.I just burst into tears. I could not believe Darryl was gone. Gone just like that.
Blink. He was pitching.
Blink, blink. He was gone.
I just started crying as I wrote this entry.
I miss you DK.... youre one of the best players in my mind. And baseball lost a great person in you. Youre never forgotten. I only wish I could have been able to meet you.
THIS ENTRY WAS MADE IN THE MEMORY OF....
Darryl Andrew Kile
December 2, 1968-June 22, 2002