Sad Davey Johnson news

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

I saw this referenced on UMDB, this is from a Baltimore Sun piece:

Davey Johnson's daughter, Andrea, the youngest of his three children and a former professional surfer, died last week at the age of 32. The Orlando Sentinel cited "complications from a mental illness" as the cause of death.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Very sad. Condolences to Davey.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Orlando Sentinel, June 10:

Growing up in the shadow of a famous athletic father, Andrea Lyn Johnson was never worried about rivalry in her family. In fact, the professional surfer welcomed competition as she took on wave after wave from New Smyrna Beach to Hawaii to New Zealand.

When she was 15, she learned how warm the spotlight could shine as she and her father, former Major League Baseball manager Davey Johnson, shared the national limelight when they were featured in a Sports Illustrated article titled "Davey's Little Surfer Girl."

Johnson told reporters that one of the reasons she surfed was because it brought her closer to her father. "It connects us. I always want to tell him when I win. I want him to be proud of me," she said in 1988.

"Because I was an athlete I think she wanted to follow in my footsteps," her father said Thursday, a day after the youngest of his three children died of complications from a mental illness. She was 32.

Davey Johnson said his daughter was at the height of her game when she became ill.

"She was really something special," her father said. "She was one of the best surfers in the Southeast, had her picture in Sports Illustrated, had been on Nickelodeon, and everyone just really loved her."

After years of waking up at 6 a.m. to check the surf report, grab a surfboard and head to the beach, her persistence paid off. Her accolades include winning numerous surfing competitions, including four major Eastern Surfing Association titles, and participating in numerous events in Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Hawaii and California.

She also served as a role model for other young athletes by participating in the USA Cultural Exchange Program in the Cook Islands, South Pacific. The goodwill program was sponsored by the United State Information Association -- Sports America and the International Surfing Association as a way of teaching locals cultural and surfing techniques.

In a release issued by her family Thursday, Johnson is described as a "kind, gentle, spirited, loving and generous soul" whose spirit was "pure and selfless."

They recalled her reaction to learning about the plight of the less fortunate. At the age of 10, she wrote: " I think about how poor they feel and I start to cry." Her writing continued: "Please have someone put them in a comfortable bed, feed them a nice big juicy steak with vegetables and a salad, and take care of them."

When Johnson was not catching a wave or at least thinking of surfing, she may have been found seated at the family's piano, pounding out one of her favorite tunes for family gatherings.

"Andrea enjoyed her life and was very kind and generous," her brother, David Johnson of Winter Park, said.

Born in Baltimore, Johnson grew up in her father's hometown of Winter Park, graduating from Lake Howell High School and attending Seminole Community College and Florida Southern College.

"She left college because she just wanted to be on the water," Davey Johnson said. "My daughter would drive an hour to the beach just to catch one wave."

In all of her endeavors, her parents were her biggest fans.

"I had high expectations for her to get married and have a lot of kids," her father said, his voice trailing off.

Johnson also is survived by her mother, Mary Nan; and sister, Dawn M. Robert, Windermere. Baldwin-Fairchild Funeral Home, Goldenrod Chapel, Winter Park, is in charge of arrangements.

[metirish]

Very sad, she sure sounded like a great person.

[Guest KC]

Wow, that's a sad story.

What type of complications can arise from mental illness that cause death?

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Not to be morbidly curious, but how do you interpret "complications from a mental illness"? OD?

[Guest KC]

We need Dr. originaljb.

[Guest Bret Sabermetric]

Suicide would also be a "complication from a mental illness," I guess.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Donations may be made in Andrea's name to the Eastern Surfing Association's Marsh Scholarship Fund, PO Box 532, Ocean City, MD, 21843, (410) 213-0515, Attention: Kit Henningsen.

Donations may alternately be made in Andrea's name to Northeast Florida State Hospital, Rt. 1 Box 519, MacClenny, FL 32063.

[Guest KC]

If anyone would like to participate in a Crane Pool donation to the scholarship
fund, I'll be happy to collect it and send it.

Send $5 via PayPal to kc@kcmets.com and I'll send it out next week with a
nice letter of condolence..

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

I came to the same conclusion as BS.

Kase - I'll send that to ya via PayPal in a minute.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I've got more than $5. I'm sending a small part of that big bonus check your way.

[duan]

side issue here, one of the real problems with addressing suicide on an ongoing basis is the stigmatisation of it which is evidenced by the use of "complications from a mental illness"

that's a nice way of saying it, so I don't have a huge issue with it, but in Ireland (mostly due to the Catholic Church) families always went on an a misguided quest to try and get the coroner to declare it "death by misadventure"

it's wrong because it tries to hide the loneliness and desperation that someone must have felt, and that we need to try to capture and know how to stop.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I'm having trouble with PayPal, Kase. If you CC me a mailing address, I'd be happy to send you a check.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

I don't know Pay Pal from Mastercard, but I'm willing to mail a check to your if you PM (or e-mail) me an address.

The loss of a child, no matter the circumstances, has to be one of the most emotionally painful circumstances that a person can endure. I wish only the best to Davey and his family.

[Guest KC]

I meant to post this earlier in the week, procrastination is my strong suit. I
sent off the CPF letter on Monday with a $75 contribution and a nice short
letter to the Marsh Fund. I'm sure we'll get an acknowledgement and I'll post
it here when it arrives.

Thanks.

[MFS62]

"but how do you interpret "complications from a mental illness"? "

I think I read that doses of Thorazine (or was it Lithium?) can cause Kidney disease. At worst, they can weaken the kidney to such an extent that the person can get suddent and fatal kidney infections. Those medications are prescribed for certain mental illnesses.

Didn't the daughter of a famous writer die from that a few years ago? She checked into a NY hospital, suddenly came down with a very high fever and died shortly thereafter. The writer won a lawsuit, claiming a bad/ mis diagnosis.

Later

[metirish]

]DURHAM, North Carolina (Ticker) - Davey Johnson will return to the dugout in search of another title. On Wednesday, USA Baseball named Johnson manager for the team comprised of minor leaguers that will represent the United States in the 2005 IBAF World Cup in The Netherlands beginning September 2. "I'm looking forward to the opportunity to wear the uniform of the United States and to the challenge of trying to bring the baseball World Cup back to America for the first time since 1974," Johnson said. A manager for four major league teams over 14 seasons, Johnson has compiled a 1,148-888 record. In 1986, he guided the New York Mets to a World Series title in a dramatic seven-game series with the Boston Red Sox. Johnson, a four-time All-Star in his 13 seasons as a player with four teams, was named the American League Manager of the Year in 1997 after leading the Baltimore Orioles to an East Division title. "Davey brings a great managerial style and major league experience to the position," USA Baseball general manager Bob Watson said. "We're excited to have him lead Team USA into this competition." In addition to the hiring of Johnson, Rick Eckstein was named bench coach, Scott Radinsky pitching coach and Lee May Jr. hitting coach. © 2005 SportsTicker Enterprises, LP

[Guest Edgy DC]

Good for Lee May, Jr.

May was a high draft pick but a nine-year minor league career got him nowhere. He's been doing well climbing the ladder as a minor-league instructor. Perhaps Johnson remembers him from his days in the Mets system, though I'm not sure he even got to camp with the Mets.

There was a book about Darryl Strawberry's Crenshaw High team, and one of the players on that team is named "Lee May, Jr." I haven't read the book. Is this the same cat? Did an 18-year major-leaguer like Lee May end up sending his kid to an inner-city Los Angeles school?

[Theoldmole]

Good luck, Davey!

[patchyfogg]

]Did an 18-year major-leaguer like Lee May end up sending his kid to an inner-city Los Angeles school?

Well, a retired major leaguer who had uncashed 10-year-old checks for $900K lying around his house now has a son (and his namesake) on crack, so I guess anything is possible.

[Guest mlbaseballtalk]

Davey was just on ESPN Radio's The Baseball Show and was referencing the situation about his daughter's battles being one of the reasons he decided to take time off from the rigors of day-to-day baseball

Well Steve Phillips asked how she was...

:oops:

I'll give Steve a pass, but still, a little homework on recent news about your guest might be the PROFESSIONAL thing to do! Geez, and this guy was supposed to have the right "skill sets?"

By the way, Dave did say she was battling mental illness, so MFS62 did call that one

Steve

[Guest Edgy DC]

I'm not so sure Phillips deserves much of a pass at all.

What did MFS call? Complications from mental illness was the reported cause of death.

[Guest mlbaseballtalk]

Edgy DC wrote: I'm not so sure Phillips deserves much of a pass at all. What did he call? Complications from mental illness was the reported cause of death.

Eh, you're probably right about not giving Phillips a pass, I was taking the side that Phillips was more concerned with the reason Johnson was on (The World Baseball Cup) and didn't think of doing the rest of the leg work on what Davey has been up to this year

] PostPosted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 9:12 pm Post subject: "but how do you interpret "complications from a mental illness"? " I think I read that doses of Thorazine (or was it Lithium?) can cause Kidney disease. At worst, they can weaken the kidney to such an extent that the person can get suddent and fatal kidney infections. Those medications are prescribed for certain mental illnesses. ] Didn't the daughter of a famous writer die from that a few years ago? She checked into a NY hospital, suddenly came down with a very high fever and died shortly thereafter. The writer won a lawsuit, claiming a bad/ mis diagnosis. Later

I think it was mentioned earlier in the thread and a "How can you say that" happened

Steve

[Guest mlbaseballtalk]

Uh, never mind, it was a reference to the original article, not somethng originally said here

[Guest KC]

Since this was bumped, I still haven't heard from the fund nor has my check
cleared nor have I cashed anyone's checks yet just in case anyone is doing
bank recs this weekend.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Surf association.

[Guest KC]

They got it, thanks to everyone who participated.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

Well done. Thanks for handling this, Bro.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I hope that redacted part in the salutation is "rane."