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NEW YORK DAWN™ > Blog > Sports > Gary Phillips: Why a chat with Yankees’ Tim Hill felt therapeutic for us each this Father’s Day
Gary Phillips: Why a chat with Yankees’ Tim Hill felt therapeutic for us each this Father’s Day
Sports

Gary Phillips: Why a chat with Yankees’ Tim Hill felt therapeutic for us each this Father’s Day

Last updated: June 15, 2025 12:32 pm
Editorial Board Published June 15, 2025
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They are saying reporters will not be purported to insert themselves right into a story.

However the fact is, I might not have spent 40 minutes speaking to Yankees pitcher Tim Hill if not for our shared grief. I might not have taken up a lot of his time had I not thought — or hoped — that he had perception on easy methods to navigate a path he’s already charted. I might not have requested a side-arming reliever about genetics had we each been in a position to ignore what’s in our DNA.

And I actually wouldn’t have peppered him with questions in regards to the untimely loss of life of his father had my very own dad’s passing on Jan. 16 not been weighing on me ever since.

“I’m sorry to hear about your dad. That’s f–king fresh, bro,” Tim mentioned with Father’s Day approaching. “I can’t think about — as a result of it occurred to me, but it surely was so way back.

“I’m in such a different place now.”

* * *

About two years after being identified with colon most cancers, Jerry Hill died on Sept. 13, 2007 at age 53. Keith Phillips died of prostate most cancers earlier this 12 months, lower than a month earlier than his 63rd birthday and 6 years after his preliminary analysis.

Tim was 17 when his dad died. I used to be 30 when mine handed.

“It’s never f–king easy, dude, no matter what,” Tim mentioned. “Even when they die at 100 years outdated and so they had a tremendous life, you’re nonetheless gonna be f–king unhappy about it. It sucks it doesn’t matter what. And plenty of occasions, it’s extra devastating while you nonetheless want them.

“I’m sure you feel like, ‘I still f–king need him.’”

He’s proper, and within the moments that I understand this and assume to name my dad, it pains me that I can’t. I principally have good days at this level, however I nonetheless tear up. I nonetheless get offended. I nonetheless really feel guilt. I nonetheless assume it’s not truthful, at the same time as I scold myself for sounding like a baby.

Grief is a large wave of ideas and feelings, ambiguous and unrelenting. Triggers lurk round each nook. It’s unpredictable and inevitable .

“It could be anything, bro,” Tim says of the day by day norms that upset him.

I can relate, however I’m lucky that my dad lived to see me turn out to be an grownup, and that we had been in a position heal some outdated wounds. I’m grateful that a few of our greatest reminiscences got here after his analysis, even when I really feel robbed of time.

Tim Hill is pictured as a baby together with his father, Jerry Hill, in an undated household photograph. (Courtesy of the Hill household)

Now 35, Tim was solely 15 when he came upon his dad had Stage 4 most cancers, probably the most superior stage.

Nonetheless growing as an individual, he mentioned he was “lost” for some time after that, his lack of route solely worsening as soon as Jerry died. A self-described “punk-ass kid,” Tim took benefit of his dad and mom’ preoccupied consideration, acted out, and was kicked out of “several” excessive colleges.

He dropped out his junior 12 months.

“I was a s–thead,” Tim mentioned, disappointment in his voice. “I used to be going by way of it. I used to be getting in hassle at college. I give it some thought now, and I’m like, ‘F–ok, the very last thing that they in all probability wanted at the moment was me appearing like an asshole.

“I regret that. That sucks.”

All these years later, Tim nonetheless feels among the issues I’m studying easy methods to course of, if solely on occasion. That’s to not say we’re depressing — we’re not — however all of the elements that make up grief nonetheless bubble beneath the floor. Possibly they at all times will, I believe, as I transcribe our dialog.

As Tim spoke, it occurred to him that his dad has been gone longer than he was in his life.

The thought hurts.

“It’s sad, s–t like that,” Tim mentioned. “Sometimes I think about things and I try to remember what his voice sounded like or stuff like that, and it’s tough when it’s been so long.”

Whereas Tim tries to recollect, I mourn secondary losses, the milestones I’ll by no means get to share with my dad. He gained’t be there once I get married. He gained’t get to be a grandpa. He gained’t see the place my profession, which he was so happy with, takes me.

The ideas damage.

Leaning on family members helps. For me, it’s been my girlfriend, sister and mother. Tim ultimately straightened himself out with the assistance of his mom, Teri, and older sisters, Kristi and Amy.

New York Daily News writer Gary Phillips, left, pictured with his father, Keith. (Courtesy of Gary Phillips)New York Day by day Information author Gary Phillips, left, pictured together with his father, Keith. (Courtesy of Gary Phillips)

Counseling additionally makes a distinction.

Tim didn’t search skilled help when his dad died, however he has talked to somebody lately for numerous causes. These conversations usually circled again to Jerry.

I began seeing a grief counselor shortly after my dad died. I proceed to schedule classes. If nothing else, it provides me an excuse to speak about my dad and course of my grief as different elements of my life maintain me busy and distracted.

“I think it’s good,” Tim mentioned. “Even sometimes you’ll feel sh–ty afterwards, but it’s good to talk about it and the things that still bother you.”

Nevertheless, an important factor, Tim mentioned for anybody going by way of one thing comparable, “would be to try and find something that serves you.”

Baseball has been that one thing for each of us in a method.

* * *

Now in his eighth MLB season, Tim “started giving a s–t” — at school and on the sphere — across the time he turned 21. He started his school profession at Palomar, a JUCO, earlier than transferring on to Bacone School. There, his quirky mechanics turned him right into a Thirty second-round Royals draft choose in 2014.

“In those moments, that’s when I knew this is what I’m supposed to be f–king doing, not letting the wind blow me wherever the f–k it goes,” Tim mentioned. “I had a goal. I had things that I wanted to do, things that I wanted to accomplish, and I was making things happen. I found power in that, and I found myself in that.”

Tim Hill of the New York Yankees in action against the Milwaukee Brewers at Yankee Stadium on March 27, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)Tim Hill of the New York Yankees in motion in opposition to the Milwaukee Brewers at Yankee Stadium on March 27, 2025 in New York Metropolis. (Photograph by Mike Stobe/Getty Photos)

Sadly, Tim was identified with the identical most cancers that claimed his father’s life lower than a 12 months later. Solely 25, Tim remembers having to name his mother following his Stage 3 analysis.

“’F–k, I don’t want to tell her this,’” Tim remembers considering. “I knew it was gonna crush her because she had just dealt with that with my dad seven years before. Calling my mom and my sisters were hard phone calls to make.”

Tim’s colon most cancers had already been detected when medical doctors found he had inherited Lynch syndrome, which had gone undiagnosed in Jerry. The situation will increase the danger of growing a number of sorts of most cancers, together with colon most cancers, and is brought on by a genetic mutation.

As soon as once more, I can relate.

I inherited a special mutation from my dad, making me extra prone to prostate and pancreatic most cancers. Fortunately, I’ve by no means been identified with most cancers, however I do dread having to make the identical calls Tim did sooner or later.

As somebody who’s predisposed, it was beneficial that I begin present process prostate screenings earlier than males at common threat. I underwent my first a number of weeks after my dad died. I intend to repeat the method yearly.

Tim, in the meantime, will get a blood take a look at and colonoscopy every offseason. He’s remained cancer-free since his preliminary battle, which he gained following eight months of chemotherapy and tons of assist from Kristi, who welcomed Tim into her residence after his analysis.

Fortunately, neither of Tim’s sisters have Lynch syndrome. “I was the lucky one,” he joked, although he needs he and his dad had identified to check sooner.

“That’s one of the things I feel like maybe fell through the cracks,” Tim mentioned. “I always try to encourage people to get tested.”

Tim has a 50-50 shot of passing Lynch syndrome on to his youngsters, however he and his companion, Nicole, determined in opposition to in vitro fertilization (IVF) earlier than welcoming their first little one, Xander, to the world in January.

The process would have allowed the couple to conceive a baby with out the mutation and elevated threat of most cancers. However Tim mentioned they by no means actually thought of the choice regardless of having the means and several other conversations about it.

“Which is crazy,” Tim acknowledges on one hand, however he reasoned that he wouldn’t have been born had his dad and mom used IVF.

“I didn’t like that idea of playing God with my son because I’m still happy to be here, even if I do have Lynch syndrome,” mentioned Tim, who considers himself a believer, however not all that spiritual. “And if he has Lynch syndrome, we’ll deal with it. At least we’ll know, and we’ll be ahead of it and watch it.”

Nonetheless, Tim struggles with the selection.

“That might be really stupid or whatever. I don’t know if I made the right decision or not. I guess when we test him and he tests ‘nothing,’ then I’ll feel like I made the right decision. But if not, then who knows? Maybe I’ll feel bad about that,” he continued. “I’m simply glad he’s right here. I don’t actually know the way it works, however I really feel like if I might have achieved IVF, it could be totally different. We may have named him the identical factor, however I believe it could be a special individual. I’m pleased with the one which I obtained, so I’d like to truly assume he’s excellent. So it’s onerous to remorse that. I don’t remorse something with that.

“But did I make the right decision? I hope so.”

A couple of seconds later he provides, “I don’t know. It’s hard. I feel like we made the right decision with that.”

I get the forwards and backwards. The ideas have crossed my thoughts too.

* * *

Rising up within the Los Angeles suburbs, Hill at all times had a hummingbird feeder in his yard. Jerry cherished the little flappers.

Now, each time Tim and his older sisters see a hummingbird, they assume it’s their dad checking in on them. In that case, these birds have to be impressed, as Jerry at all times thought his son would play within the majors, even when Tim threw “like a weirdo” from an early age.

“I wish he could have seen that he was right that whole time,” Tim mentioned. “I wish his last memory was where I’m at now. I feel like he would be a lot prouder than where I was at [when he died], and that’s the hardest part for me.”

Tim dwelled on his teenage conduct a number of occasions in our chat, however his dad’s loss of life and the ensuing aftermath made him who he’s at present. The previous can’t be modified, however Tim can maintain making his dad and his individuals proud.

That’s been a motivating drive for me over the previous few months, as I do know my dad wished me to maintain residing life to the fullest and doing work that I really like. He mentioned so in our closing conversations.

Tim, a lot youthful than I used to be when he misplaced his dad, recollects having an analogous heart-to-heart towards the top. “No one’s going to feel sorry for you,” Jerry informed him, stressing that Tim needed to make one thing of himself.

It took years for his dad’s recommendation to kick in, however he nonetheless hears these phrases in his head.

“It took me a while to learn, but I did eventually,” Tim mentioned. “I’m very grateful for that.

“As s–ty as I was for whatever period of time, I was able to come back and bounce back from all that because he did a good job raising me.”

As I mirror this Father’s Day, I’d prefer to assume my dad did the identical.

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