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Family and friends have established this memorial fund in Shawn's honor. The funds raised here will support the families and save the lives of children and young people with heart rhythm abnormalities and help raise awareness of SADS conditions around the world.

 

On September 10, 2008, my wife Shawn Marie DeVries passed away from Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricle Dysplasia (ARVD). She was only 35. Technically ARVD is not considered a SADS disease but very closely mirrors those in the symptoms.

Shawn had a great love for kids – she valued her time with her nieces and nephew and spending time with them always brought out the kid in her. Shawn’s two other loves were animals, we had 3 dogs and 9 cats that found their way to our home. Her other love was the New York Yankees so much so that one of our dogs was named Jeter. We attended baseball games whenever the Yankees came into the Baltimore area and her claim to fame as she used to say was wearing all her Yankee stuff to Fenway Park when we went to see the Yankees play the Red Sox there. When we were moving to Boston Shawn lost sleep worrying how our dog Jeter was going to be able to survive in the middle of Red Sox Nation. Turns out - they both did fine.

This past summer to help in my recovery from Shawn’s passing I toured the country and attended a baseball game in all 30 MLB ballparks. I was fortunate to come into contact with Laura from the SADS Foundation (www.StopSADS.org) because of my travels. I have learned that there are so many others out there like me searching for answers to how we could have prevented the passing of our loved ones.

Over the past months I have been asked frequently what I am going to do for an encore. Well I have decided to tour the country again this summer and attend a game at all 30 MLB ballparks only this time the trips are not about me but about getting the word out about awareness of SADS. I have spent many hours reliving the past and saying what if I would have done this or that – what I have learned is that you really can’t what if the past but you can what if the future. This summer I will be able to combine Shawn’s love for children and her love of baseball to spread awareness and raise some money for the SADS Foundation.

Please check out my website 30ballparks-in-1season.com. My 2010 schedule is posted on there and if I happen to be in your area I would love to have some company at the game.

Sincerely,
Bob DeVries

Support our "Where's Bob" campaign and help Bob reach his $10,000 fundraising goal as he attends a game at all 30 Major League parks in one season here: http://www.firstgiving.com/shawndevries