FEEL GOOD STORY: All In For Camilo

22 months.

Imagine that. Being a dad, constantly on the road, trying to return to your former PGA TOUR glory, and in what had to be the most blurry haze of surreal in his life, pro golfer Camilo Villegas and his wife had to say goodbye to their daughter, Mia, all to the cruel hand of cancer in her brain and spine.

22 months.

I see these words of how short her time was and they drive through the very heart of me. During my radio days back on Froggy 101, that world famous station thanks to NBC’s The Office, I helped host several annual radiothons for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. I can truly say I was honored to have traveled there for a tour in 2003 and was forever changed by the incredible people working to save children from cancer and other illnesses, along with their selflessness. By far, it was the most amazing charitable work I have ever seen or may ever see.

I interviewed a family during the radiothon one year, a family who just lost their son who was about Mia’s age. Normally I’m pretty much a Philly hard ass but when you hear that pain in both parents voices, and see it on their faces, and feel it in your soul, you cry with them. To hell with the radio show, you hold their hands and fumble for Kleenex to share, figure out a way to get back to a song, and cry more with them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Camilo Villegas (@camilovillegasofficial)

22 months.

This number still amazes me for how short this angel had in this word. And then her dad, still struggling to find his way again on the PGA TOUR, found inspiration yesterday before the opening round of the RSM Classic at Sea Island, Georgia.

The co-leader after day one by shooting a 64 (-6), his lowest 18-hole score since the third-round of his stop at the RSM in 2016, Camilo Villegas spoke to the media after and what he saw and said to himself once again broke this Philly hard ass down like I was a 2×4.

“It was kind of nice this morning. I got on the range and see a little rainbow out there. I start thinking about Mia and said, ‘Hey, let’s have a good one.’ I was pretty free all day. It’s tough to be free under these conditions, but I found a way to do it.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by PGA TOUR (@pgatour)

The moment I read this quote, I was instantly at full Niagara Falls level tears streaming down my face. And in that moment, I was flashing back interviewing that family once again at the radiothon.

22 months.

Hopefully I won’t be a jinx for this pro looking to regain his footing on TOUR once more, but I know I’m not in the minority when I say I’ll be rooting my Philly hard ass off all weekend for Camilo Villegas to win the RSM Classic.

Personally, I’m not religious, but I am spiritual. I do believe that the energy of those we’ve lost sticks with us, tossing little signs about to say, “I’m still here.” 

I’m hoping that Mia did give her Dad one heck of a beautiful sign yesterday in that rainbow, and that he rides that energy all the way to the end with a win in his pocket, a beautiful trophy on his shelf, but most of all that he’ll forever have that rainbow in his mind. In that I think he’s already won.

Hit ‘em well this weekend, Camilo, and win this thing: for Mia, for your family, for you.

Cover Image via Instagram