Gosh, I miss this kid: In Memory: Will Dicus

They Need Me​

There is not much else I can say about Will Dicus that I haven’t already said. We all know the battles he’s faced all through the years, but there was an underlining theme he had in all our conversations.

When Will would go on his weekly trip to Minnesota to get his experimental treatment, he explained to me how the treatment would force him to go blind for 10-12 hours, but he insisted on flying home the same day so he wouldn’t miss practice. He didn’t tell me this to feel sorry for him, but to tell me why he did it.

“Braves, you gotta see Jon Sharpe pitch. Nobody knows who he is because he’s so quiet. He doesn’t realize how good he can be---so I need to be there to tell him”

“ Braves, you gotta check out Baine Martin’s little brother. I think he’s going to be the best player to ever play for Watauga. He’s a freshman, but he’s already one of our best hitters- he needs me to help him with our conference pitchers.”

Another time he told me how thrilled he was to finally get to pitch. He was struggling physically and one time he covered first base on a ball hit towards first. He got dust in his lungs, kneeled down and was coughing up blood. He hid it from his coach because he didn’t want him to worry and have to come out.

I said, “Will, are you crazy! You’re coughing up blood and you’re not going to tell your Coach?”

He said, “Braves, what’s a little blood. Coach is going to need me this year, so I have to get ready.”

He was always talking about his team. It didn’t matter what our conversation was about, it would always turn back towards his team and Coach Hardee. Even with his Drs; if they couldn’t perform their surgeries or treatments in a time that wouldn’t interfere with his practice or team meeting, he wouldn’t let them do it.

The amazing thing is the guy had so much energy while enduring tremendous pain. I would catch him walking around the field shouting encouragements to his teammates…and I would notice him wincing when he went too far. I’d walk over to him and say, “Will, you need to sit down kid.” He looked at me with a big ol’ smile and would say reassuringly, “I’m ‘aight’ Braves. The guys are a little down right now and they need me to pick ‘em up. Did you see Adam Church over there? He’s a beast. You need to help get him in college.” Then he looked in my eyes to make sure I heard him. “Did ya hear me, Braves?” “Yeah, yeah, I heard you” …dang, this kid could be persistent.

As time went by, I sensed urgency in his voice. He seemed to become a little more demanding. “Hey Braves, I need you to do this, I need you to do that.” I chalked it up to his medication, but I certainly didn’t mind him asking me anything. But sometimes I would ask him why. He said, “Coach needs me to do this. Lowder needs that…” I would laugh at him and say, “What are you, their mother?” He would just laugh and say, “Nah…they just need me to….”

Well, I missed Will all last fall. I knew he had taken some speed bumps in his health and there were some whispers that he may not make it this time. I stayed in touch with some of his teammates, who kept me informed of how he was doing. I learned he really had to fight this episode, but he was winning. I was hoping I would be able to see him in February at the Impact Challenge. When I got to Cary and looked for Will, I spotted him in a corner. He had lost a lot of weight from an already frail body. He had patches of hair and his skin was gray. When we met it seemed all his energy was drawn and his eyes lost its enthusiasm. Then it was like a switch was turned on. He started talking a mile a minute; telling me about the team. How Cal Hardee was going to lead the team (of course, with his help), and this was the year they were going to beat rival South Caldwell and to win their conference. After their game, I asked him if he could stick around for a while. He became the Star of Cary. You would have thought he was the mayor. Andy Partin came over and spent a long time with Will. Danny Hignight was getting ready for his big game against Rose, but he left the field to spend some time. A lot of TBR folks came by to wish him well and the kid was in his element. He was telling everybody about his workouts and how he was expecting to be back in the rotation, “… because Coach is going to need me this year.” He was talking baseball with baseball people. He had the biggest smile all day long: I suspect he hadn’t smiled like that in a long time.

Will would email me a few times during the next few months, then invited me to see him at the Watauga vs Providence game. Before the game we shook hands and spoke for a minute, but I was waiting for a time when we could speak in private. When we finally did, he said, “Braves, I’m tired. It’s hard for me to breathe and my ribs are killing me. I can’t walk very far without losing my breath.” I told him he would get his strength back and everything would be all right. But I could tell it was not. It was the first time I sensed his resignation to his terrible disease.


After Will reflected on the season, his Watauga Pioneers did beat their rival both times. They did win their conference. Many of his best friends and teammates are graduating and will continue to play baseball in college. Will accomplished everything he wanted to. Yes, everybody needed him because he inspired his teammates, his coaches, even his town. He carried them on his frail shoulders until he just didn’t need to do it anymore. He had a purpose and he was determined to see it all the way through.

 

Will’s job is done here and it was time for him to go to another team where he’s needed. I can imagine Will giving pitching lessons and telling God to “stay back” on his delivery—and giving that little smirk of his when it was done right. He was an amazing young man. I never met anybody as tough as him, and I never met anybody with more trusting love for people. Man, I feel an emptiness right now that can’t be replaced. I always felt as long as I stuck close to Will Dicus that it would be an extra chip in my pocket when it was my turn to go. I hope when it is my time that Will may step forward and say, “It’s aight…he’s with me!”

Some people live a long life and some people live life. Will squeezed all of it in 18 years.

 

Braves......

Thanks for posting this......it say's so much about Will.

 

What a Kid to say the least

I never got to see Will play, but there is no post I've ever enjoyed more than reading about this young man. Look at how many lives he touched in such a short time. May the rest of us strive to be more like Will.

 

Braves, thanks for posting....I'm speechless.
An uplifting story in the midst of a lot of sorrow. There is a special place in Heaven for a young man like that.....and he is finally there.

 

Good job Braves...the best message ever written on TBR.

 

Most touching thread i have ever read... He has touched so many through you, Tom and the words you have shared tell all. Will was loved and respected. He was a real MAN!!

 

I'm on my way up to pay my respects to Will, when I noticed something. In a users profile it shows the last date the member has visited the board. I highlighted the time and date Will was last here:


WHSpitcher6
Junior Member

Edit User Profile Last Activity: Today 12:14 AM

 

He is Helping People He Didn't Even Know

Braves - thanks for sharing this hearfelt message with all of us.

Puts the other problems in life in proper perspective for many of us.

 

Epilogue:

There were so many great stories told about Will yesterday at his Celebration of Life. The one where Coach Hardee was going to the mound and take Will out was classic. He told Coach, "say what you have to say, then go back to the dugout. I'm finishing this inning". Will Dicus is the only player that could get away with talking to Coach Hardee like that.

But this story is the one that embodies the spirit of Will Dicus. Will knew it was time to go. He was struggling catching his breath. His best friend, Chris Shelton was there and Chris knew this was it. After the ambulance came and rushed Will to the hospital, he recovered his breathe just enough to ask this question. "Is Chris all right? Do you think Chris will be okay?"...and shortly after Will left us for the "major leagues."