Tag: life

2026 Tim Gaige Memorial Sporting Choose your own adventure – May 16

Friends and family,

We’ve had such a wonderful time over the last few years remembering Tim through Sports!

In 2018, when I first started the Annual Tim Gaige Memorial Event, I wrote about why. I still want to do this for all those reasons, to bring together those who loved him to remember him in a very Tim-way for the kids, and most especially to give back.

Last year, when I had differing opinions from the kids over a local Baseball or Soccer game, I asked myself: What Would Tim do?

There was only one answer: Tim would do both!

So this year – we are doing it again!  We usually do this in June, but there are no MLS games in June this year due to the World Cup. (World Cup games actually start this year on June 11th on Tim’s Deathaversary.)

Please note: Last year, I tried separating the donation, but that didn’t work out as I expected, so I am building it back into the ticket price, and will make the donation that way on your behalf.

Again this year, in memory of Tim, we will be giving to World Central Kitchen (WCK). WCK is first to the frontlines, providing fresh meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. In memory of Tim Gaige, help us empower communities through the power of food!

So I bring you again: 

Tim Gaige Memorial 2026 – Choose your own adventure!

Adventure #1: The Baseball ⚾️

Details: Join us at Nationals Park starting as early as 2:50pm on Saturday May 16, 2026! This year we will have the Swing Big Beer Pan for the entire game from an amazing view in center field as the Washington Nationals take on the Baltimore Orioles at home at Nats Park! This dedicated space gives us an opportunity to gather and enjoy each other’s company in a private standing room hospitality area that comes with a beer cart and dedicated bartender. Tickets are $75 each, which includes a $35 concession credit usable anywhere in the ballpark. And $10 of your ticket, I will donate to World Central Kitchen: https://donate.wck.org/TimMemorial

Adventure #2: The Soccer ⚽️

Details: Join us immediately after the Nats game or whenever works for you on Saturday May 16th, prior to the 7:30pm start, as D.C. United take on the Saint Louis City SC at home at Audi Field! Tickets are $50 each for our group. We will be in sections 110 and 210. You are on your own for food in one of the many great food option in the stadium. We’ll plan on meeting at Tim’s brick around 6:30pm for a group photo. $10 of your ticket, I will donate to World Central Kitchen: https://donate.wck.org/TimMemorial

Adventure #3: The Baseball ⚾️ AND The Soccer ⚽️

Details: HOURS of fun on May 16th with the Gaiges remembering Tim for two great sporting events!  (Adventures 1 + 2 = 3)

Adventure #4: I don’t live locally, and/or can’t make either game, but want to participate!

Details: If you would like to donate a ticket or two to a family, since a day out like this can be a lot for a big family, I will take the donation and coordinate accordingly. OR you can also make a donation of your choosing in Tim’s name: https://donate.wck.org/TimMemorial

Adventure #5: I would love to join a game, but this sounds very expensive for my family.

Details: If you would like to attend but this is cost prohibitive, let me know and I will match Adventurers #4 and #5!

Now:

Reach out to MaryBeth to advise which Adventure you are interested in! Contact MaryBeth at 703-863-329 OR  marybeth.gaige@gmail.com (include “Tim Memorial” in an email). Please reach out soonest if you know you want to join to reserve your tickets!

I hope you can join us!

Some pics of years past:

Tim and MB at a DC United game 2007
Tim’s brick at Audi field
Tim and MB at a DC United game 2014

Eight years

Today was the last day of school for our kiddos. When I first saw the 2024-2025 school year calendar, that jumped off the page at me. The date always does. Today is also eight years from the day Tim took his last breaths.

My oldest had several more conversations with me this year about today’s date, and June as a whole, with the memories (and lack), Father’s day, and all the feels around this month. My youngest had a lot of feels around it this year as well. I was so glad they both talked openly with me about their feelings.

But I admit, its still hard for me to sit in it. My truest nature wants to fix it for them, wants to make them feel better. Even though I know I can’t. When it comes up, I know all I can do is listen, and sit in the silence, hear what is unsaid, and validate how they are feeling. My dad didn’t die when I was 5, 4 or not yet 1. I can’t pretend to know exactly how they feel. But I can imagine. And I can hold space for what I don’t precisely know.

A theme I observed in conversations with the kids about this was a feeling of wanting to talk about it sometimes, of wanting to “be asked how I am doing,” to have the suck-y feelings validated. I’ve noticed this in my dealings with adults about Tim’s death. There is often a sense of “relief” that the kids have fewer memories and would have correspondingly fewer painful/grief feelings. I do not think this is accurate. Grieving the life you never got to have is real too. I also know the language and the communication surrounding Tim’s death is difficult in the best scenarios, but I am beginning to understand just how avoidant many people are with the subject of death, as though it might be contagious.

There’s also a thing I’ve heard repeatedly about how difficult the second year after a traumatic loss is… particularly as others start moving on, and reach out less… I think that’s how it is for the kids now.. as they come into ages where they want to process their grief, they are expected to be over it by now, or worse, for it to be insignificant for them.

The best I could do was to share with them the experiences I have with people expecting me to be “over it.” I also told them that they have an experience most won’t have for many, many years, and so it can be hard for others to know how to imagine, empathize, or relate.

There are still many moments that take my breath away, just how much I miss him. I’d say the most notable shift this year is in the questions from and processing with the kids.

Photo below is me and his legacies with the DC united “Tim Gaige forever a fan” brick, in between games at this year’s Tim Gaige Memorial Sporting Events. I can hardly imagine a thing Tim would have loved more than walk-between back-to-back sporting events.

” You’re the loss of my life.” Taylor Swift