Tribute to Scott Wedell-the little brother I never met

The little brother I never met.



I adored Scott Wedell and loved him like a little brother. Crazy considering we had never met. But I felt a connection to him from our first interactions.

When I drew him in the secret Santa exchange, I was thrilled. I still remember sending him an ASU hat (to bring a little of the desert to him) and his worm and scorpion suckers. I recall his message to me when he got them. He thought they were cool…in that gross but awesome way scorpion and worm suckers are cool.

We bonded over his love of PF Chang’s. I also loved it and did before I even started working for them.

It was that love of our food, and his struggle that first sprung me into action. I went to the CFO’s admin and told her all about this sports loving, cancer fighting guy and simply asked “What can we do?” Next thing I know I’ve got a hat, shirt, bracelet, mini Terracotta Warrior statue, Lucky Cat, and gift cards for him. I was jealous. I didn’t even have a warrior statue and wanted one! I went around to my team and again, told them all about Scott and how he loved us and sports. Everyone signed a card for him. I packaged it up and sent it to him. He was so excited when he received it as he had no CLUE it was coming. He told me how much he loved it and couldn’t wait to go and order more Chang’s.

From then on, Scott was a part of the PF Chang’s family. I would get asked by team members and Mary the admin to the CFO how he was doing. I’d give them updates. We all looked up and learned more about his cancer. We all looked into the Proton Radiation he was undergoing. He was a part of us…and today, we are all saddened.

Scott and I debated in the NFL debates last year. He made me think. Here was this young “kid” who knew more than me. That didn’t seem right. But that was Scott. He knew more about stats and sports than people twice his age. He studied, he memorized, he learned and he shared that knowledge. He was a great contributor who wrote thoughtful and insightful articles. Sure there was some homerism in there but aren’t we all big homers when it comes to our teams?

On his Bleacher Report profile, he stated he hoped to be a sports writer. Little did he know…he already was.

In 2009, I participated in my 2nd Susan G Komen Breast Cancer 3 day walk. While mainly a walk for Breast Cancer, I walk for all cancers. It was the first year I walked for Scott. Last year, I again walked for Scott as well as others. In 2011, instead of walking in support of Scott, I will be walking in memory of him. It doesn’t seem right, and it doesn’t seem fair. I would gladly change places with him. I’ve lived. I’ve loved. I’ve experienced the joy of being a parent, of marriage. I had the fun of going away to college and the parties that go along with it. These are things Scott will miss out on. Things that the Rhabdomyosarcoma took from him.

They say people come into your life for a reason. Scott came into all of ours to teach us and show us what true strength and courage looks like and acts like. Here was an amazing young man, his whole life ahead of him fighting for just one more day…one more hour, one more birthday, Christmas, football season. And yet, I can’t recall a single moment where he ever complained. He didn’t want our sympathy. No one ever gave him pity. When we expressed our love and concerns, he tried to make us feel better, when we were trying so hard to do that for him. Scott never had that “woe is me” attitude. He had once said that he had come to grips with his death. I remember how much that shook me. How I felt it was so unfair that at his young age he should have to THINK about his own death, much less come to grips with it. It was like he had accepted his path. How at 36 even I haven’t come to grips with my own death yet. His concern was for his family and friends. Typical Scott. He had a tender, gentle, and caring heart about him. He was a comedian and would always make me laugh and smile. Scott had a quit wit and a sharp sense of humor that will greatly be missed by all who knew him.

Some people come into our lives for a season, some for a lifetime. While his lifetime has now ended, he will forever live in our hearts, our minds, and our memories. Scott will be in all our lives for a lifetime and beyond.

While he taught us so much, how to stand in the face of adversity greater than most of us have ever and hopefully will ever know, I think what he will be the most thrilled with…is that he turned each and every one of us into Jets fans…if only for a few games. I believe in my heart of hearts, that he is looking down on us, laughing, smiling, eyes shining saying, “So THIS is what it took to convert you all?” and “About damn time!” Now, all he has left is to convert us to TCU fans. But I have an inkling that some of us will cheer for them a little more, and a little louder next season to make up for the voice they lost.

Scott…RIP my friend. You will always be remembered and loved.

God saw you getting tired, and a cure was not to be.
So he put his arms around you and whispered, “Come with me”.
With tearful eyes we watched, and saw you pass away.
Although we love you dearly, we could not make you stay.
A golden heart stops beating, hard working hands at rest
God broke our heart to prove to us, he only takes the best.

I wrote this for sportsjabbet.net about Scott Wedell who at the very young age of 19 lost his battle with Rhabdomyosarcoma- a fairly rare form of cancer. Our little corner of the Internet is certainly not the same without him.