Monday September 20, 2010 will be a day I will forever remember. After a full day of travel, my new bride and I were on our way home from the airport, fresh from our honeymoon when we had a phone call that forever changed our lives. It was then that we found out that just two days before, Sept 18, my step-brother Timo "Marty" DeLuca had passed away in a car accident. No one wanted to tell us until we returned from our trip to allow us to enjoy our honeymoon. I wish we were home with the family on that day.

For those of you who had the opportunity to know Marty, you know that to say he was a great person is an understatement, at the least. Marty was everyone's friend, he was everyone's source of fun. Marty was the guy that would always be ready to have a great time with you, whether you were his best friend from grade-school or someone he just met minutes before. Countless people, who had never met Marty before, told me stories of the great times they had with him at my wedding as if they had been friends with him for years.

Marty also had a deeply caring soul. He would have given anything for any of his friends or family. To say that he would give you the shirt off his back makes me laugh, only because he had literally given me his in the past. He took wonderful care of his mother and grandmother when they needed help and always did it with a smile.

Growing up in Glastonbury, Marty went through the Glastonbury baseball system and had a lifelong love for the game. A passionate Yankee fan, he loved going to games, playing ball and even added a championship to his resume through the softball team he played on with his brother, Nick, and sister Carla. In that context, I have decided to raise funds for a project that is fitting in Marty's memory.

The Glastonbury Little League is hoping to build two batting cages at the high school facilities just down the road from where Marty lived and grew up. At an estimated cost of $30,000 this is a substantial fundraising project for the league and presents a wonderful way to honor Marty's memory and dedication to the game.

The last day to donate is Marty's birthday, May 6 and on May 7 our team will be participating in the "Tough Mudder" event at Mount Snow in Vermont. Billed as "Probably the Toughest Event on the Planet" with courses designed by British Special Forces to test all around strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie. Forget finish times. Simply completing a Tough Mudder is a badge of honor. Visit www.toughmudder.com for more information, pictures and video.

Please help by donating to help honor Marty. Every dollar helps and we truly appreciate all the support we can get!!

Thanks!

Tim

Update: Baseball season is right around the corner and we just received a donation of 4 great tickets to a Red Sox game (lower level first base). Every person with a donation of $50 or more to the fundraiser will be entered into a drawing for the tickets! Drawing will be after the Tough Mudder on May 7. I will keep everyone posted with the date & game as soon as I have the info!