News
Suzuki is A's Clemente Award nominee
Catcher started fund to aid Adenhart crash's lone survivor
By Adam Loberstein / MLB.com
09/02/09 9:10 PM ET
OAKLAND -- Jon Wilhite's life changed forever on April 9.On that day, a tragic car crash took the lives of Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart, Henry Pearson and Courtney Stewart.
On that day, Wilhite was the accident's lone survivor, requiring an operation to reattach his skull and spinal column after a rare separation.
On that day, Kurt Suzuki took action.
Suzuki and his wife, Renee, founded the Jon Wilhite Recovery Fund in an effort to help Wilhite, a college teammate of Suzuki at Cal State Fullerton, pay off his medical bills. In just over two months, the Suzukis have already raised over $61,000 to assist Wilhite.
For his efforts, Suzuki has been named the A's nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award.
The award recognizes the player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team. It is named in honor of the former Pirates outfielder. Clemente died in a plane crash while attempting to transport relief supplies to earthquake-stricken Nicaragua on Dec. 31, 1972.
"As a professional athlete," Suzuki said, "I have the resources and opportunity to host these fundraisers. ... I only hope that the money we raise will alleviate some of the costs that Jon and his family are being faced with during his long rehab process."
The Suzukis raised funds by selling over 450 autographed baseballs, running a three-day silent auction at Cal State Fullerton in May, hosting an online auction of game-used, autographed memorabilia on oaklandathletics.com in June, through the A's silent auction, a donation by the A's Community Fund and with donations made by fans through athleticsnation.com.
Additionally, the Suzukis hosted the Wilhite family on July 18 when the A's faced the Angels at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Wilhite threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
"Him throwing to me, it's kind of like the good old days at Fullerton," Suzuki said. "He's always worked hard ever since I've known him. That's contributed to where he is now -- always battling.
"A couple of months ago, who would have thought this would be possible? He's definitely exceeded [all expectations]. ... You can never really put in words what it means to all of us to have Jon here."
Suzuki is also a strong supporter of the A's charity efforts. He regularly attends annual charity events, ranging from FanFest and Dinner on the Diamond to visiting local schools on behalf of the team's Mathletics and Home Run Readers programs.
Fans can participate in the selection process of the overall winner of the award now through Oct. 4. The fan ballot winner will be tallied as one vote among those cast by a special selection panel of baseball dignitaries and media members. The panel includes MLB Commissioner Bud Selig and Vera Clemente, widow of the Pirates' Hall of Fame right fielder. The winner will be announced during the World Series.
Voting fans also will be automatically registered for a chance to win a trip to the 2009 World Series, when the national winner of the Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevy will be announced.
Adam Loberstein is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
