Remembrances

Last month, we lost a beloved family pet and a local sports hero.

When Angels legend Garret Anderson was inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame, I happened to be in attendance. It was August 20, 2016 and the Yankees were in town for a Saturday night matchup. New York went on to win 5-1, but what I remember most was Anderson’s heartfelt pregame speech. “Truly humbling to be here right now…after signing my first pro contract with the Angels, I get to finish where I started as an 18-year-old: an Angel,” Anderson told the crowd of over 44,000.

The team’s website sums up his statistical accomplishments thus: “A two-time Silver Slugger recipient, three-time All-Star and four-time Angels Team MVP, Anderson remains atop the franchise all-time list in several key offensive categories including games (2,013), at-bats (7,989), runs (1,024), hits (2,368), total bases (3,743), extra-base hits (796), doubles (489) and RBI (1,292). He also ranks second in home runs with 272, trailing only fellow Angels Hall of Famer, Tim Salmon (299).” He helped bring the Orange County their only championship in 2002. The Angels defeated the Yankees in the Division Series on the way to facing the Giants in the World Series. The man who wore number 16 was only the 13th player in history to drive in 10 runs during a single game.

Sadly, Anderson passed away suddenly on April 16 at the age of 53. After the initial shock, the memory of having briefly met him after a game in 2023 came flooding back. Anderson served as a television commentator for the Angels, which is how we crossed paths in the stadium’s parking lot.

The Angels are honoring Anderson’s memory with a pregame moment of silence and players will wear jersey patches honoring him for the remainder of 2026. My thoughts are with his family and everyone touched by Anderson’s presence.

On the morning of April 12, Dori and I lost a beautiful soul in our dog Heart. Heart was the gentlest pet I have ever met and wanted to greet literally everyone he saw. He was a rescue and Dori fell in love with him. In his 13 years on this planet, he brought plenty of happiness to the world. We loved him so much, and his passing made me reflect on the transient nature of life. It’s easy to get caught up in sadness when thinking about the void he leaves, but I know he would want us to live the rest of our lives as joyfully as possible.

We brought Heart on some memorable road trips, including a 2024 excursion to San Diego County. The highlights included lunch at the eclectic Yellow Deli in Vista. We also remember a canoe ride in San Marcos and memorable dinner afterward at Amalfi fondly. Heart was a great traveling companion throughout.

We had a blast bringing Heart on outings to Palm Springs and the Orange County Museum of Art. I even went grocery shopping with him at Smart & Final on one occasion. He always got a lot of friendly attention. One of my favorite summer nights in recent memory involved attending a free Paco Versailles concert with him and Dori.

Before I met Heart, I was afraid of dogs as a whole. Getting nipped by one in Egypt while growing up made me wary. That was never a concern with Heart, who loved to be close and seemed to never get upset with anyone. He loved food with a passion and used to follow me in the kitchen as I cooked dinner. Of course he wanted scraps, but he also couldn’t help wanting to be near me.

Heart was a very respectful guest when visiting my family over the holidays in 2023. He had such a fun time with my nephews.

According to Dori: “Heart was like the Pinocchio of dogs. He could go anywhere and wanted to be friends with everyone. He thought he was a real boy and he was my little boy. He truly loved me and will be missed more than words can say.”

In the intervening weeks, I have tried not to feel sorrowful that Heart is no longer with us. He saw the good in everyone, and on difficult days I have caught myself reflecting on his patient, positive attitude. We have pets to be a source of happiness and companionship, which makes it all the harder to lose them. No matter what, I will always smile when I think of the time Heart tried to follow a group of people into a hospital, or how he would tilt his head when I was eating a taco. Dori and I were fortunate to share so many moments with Heart, who felt destined to leave our lives better than he found them.