Blog stats can be interesting. Sometimes they can point you to something more of interest. In this case, they've pointed to something heartbreaking.I noticed one of my posts from October was getting an unusual number of hits Wednesday. So I did a search on his name and I found out why.
The post was from October, of John Trautwein, a former Red Sox pitcher who got into just nine games for Boston back in 1988.
The reason his post has been coming up was that the Trautwein family suffered the tragedy last fall. That's when the Trautweins' 15-year-old son Will committed suicide.
Since that day, Trautwein and his wife have turned their efforts to preventing teen suicide, starting The Will To Live Foundation in his memory. The Boston Globe did an article this week on Trautwein and his family's efforts.
Based in Georgia, the foundation promotes awareness of the issue and provides ways to help. They also promote the idea of a "Life Teammate," according to their Web site.
"This foundation will strive to mentor and educate kids and families on teen suicide, assist and support families and friends of suicide victims, and provide an avenue of love, support and 'good Will' for all of us to continue finding the good in life and the "Will To Live" in all of us," John Trautwein wrote in a note on the group's Facebook page.
A fund raiser 5K run is scheduled for this weekend in Johns Creek, Ga. For more information on the foundation and the fund raiser, visit the foundation Web site at http://www.will-to-live.org/
I've also updated Trautwein's October entry.
- Boston Globe, Feb. 9, 2011: Ex-hurler focusing on saves
Wow, that's awful. I actually interviewed him two months after what happened to his son and I had no idea. Tragic.
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