However, just days after grabbing the title as a future pinstripe prospect, Jordan was diagnosed with a serious kidney illness. (As if there’s a non-serious kidney illness.)
After months of dialysis Jordan became even sicker. With his family sitting bed side, waiting for options, a man who they had known for less time than a gold fish lives (exceptions to this analogy are limited to my friend Leanne. That fish will probably out live her) stepped up to help out the young ball player.
That man donated his kidney to Jordan. That man was his baseball coach, Tom Walter.
Go ahead, read that sentence again. Take your time, I’ll wait. Now pick up your jaw from the ground and continue reading.
Coaches, at any athletic level, are put on this earth to help out and teach the younger players. What better way to teach not just 1 player, but the entire player population about selflessness and teamwork, than by donating an organ to save someone’s life.
All coaches should take after Walter. Now I’m not suggesting they switch their license to read organ donor but the act of kindness he displayed should be repeated by all.
Tom Walter is everything that’s right in sports. He didn’t do it out of guilt, nobody asked him. He didn’t do it because Jordan would instantly change the teams success, they’re not exactly competing for the National Title. (They‘re lucky if they get a national televised game.)
No, Walter simply did it because his player, his student, and his friend, needed help.
Hopefully when Jordan makes it big with the Yanks, he’ll at least give his ex-coach at the time, a couple tickets to his first game. Some how I think Walter won’t have to ask.
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