Chapter 6: Allies
Important alliances are forged.
When you get asked whether or not you’d like to grab a few beers with George Brett you say “yes please.” The man’s not just a local legend, rather, he’s a national treasure. One of the greatest competitors in the world. I admit, I was a little nervous heading into our arranged happy hour. I did not know the icon personally, but my imagination ran wild with visions of the intensity I had seen him display while watching him play the game.
My first date with MLB Royal’s legend George Brett. Mission Hills CC happy hour.
When George first moved to Kansas City from California, the Royals rookie was offered a modeling gig at a local clothing store on the Plaza. “So all I gotta do is stand there and look pretty!?” He took the side hustle and quickly befriended the store’s VP of Marketing, Keith Worthington. They not only became fast friends but also would remain so over the years. George’s later success on the diamond goes without saying. We all know how that played out. Keith’s story had a different plot line.
The clothing executive was diagnosed with ALS in 1973 and bravely fought the disease for 11 years before he submitted. George watched as his friend progressed from walker to wheelchair to worse. It deeply affected the ballplayer and he made a promise to Keith, shortly before he passed, that he would continue the fight; and continue the fight he did.
The lagers went down fast as we sat across from each other, exchanging stories of my battle and that of Keith’s. I apologized for his loss and thanked him for everything he had done to help those afflicted with this horrible disease. George has been on the front lines raising money and awareness for the Keith Worthington ALS Society (later adopted by the ALS Association and retitled the ALSA Mid-America Chapter).
After the heavier stuff, we talked about spring training, random NBA players, and our families. We laughed often and loudly. Then George brought it full circle with some ideas about the “next ALS Icebucket Challenge” and had me save his cell phone number. “You’re not alone in this. I’m going to help you,” he said as he looked directly into my eyes. “And in the meantime, if you need ANYTHING, you give me a call.”
A few days later George texted me, randomly, to tell me what he’d been up to and to remind me of his commitment. And not long after that, came another assurance, this time in the form of a phone call. He wanted me to know that I had inspired him to workout that morning. We rehashed our Christmas’ briefly before moving on to a story about a brave woman with ALS that he had put me in touch with shortly after our initial meeting. Evidently, she was struggling to get her hands on a medication from her clinic. They told her it wouldn’t be till March that she could get in and get the prescription. So what does George Brett do? He calls the PRESIDENT OF THE FREAKIN’ HOSPITAL!
“Look here Bob, I got this girl with ALS who says she can’t get her meds till March. That’s not right.”
It’s actually a short story, she got her meds that week.
And before we ended the call he re-iterated, “So when I say if you need ANYTHING, I really mean it!”