Coach overwhelmed by support after tragedy

BOSTON -- Mark Budzinski made an emotional return to the Blue Jays on Friday at Fenway Park, nearly three weeks after the tragic loss of his 17-year-old daughter, Julia.

While Budzinski was away from the organization with his wife, Monica, and children, Josh and Lily, his family received messages of support from friends, teammates and opponents throughout baseball.

“From the Blue Jays’ organization and Canada, then across the baseball world, from managers, coaches, the staff, media, it was just incredible,” said Budzinski, the Blue Jays’ first-base coach. “When you go through something like this, it’s hard, but to have so many people surrounding us with love, prayers and support, it just means the world to us.”

Members of the Blue Jays’ organization attended the funeral for Julia Budzinski in Virginia prior to the All-Star break. Many players and coaches have continued to show their support on the field, many writing “JB” in white just above the brim of their cap.

Budzinski had remained in touch with his players and fellow coaches while he was away from the club, often valuing the familiarity and sense of healing that came with those calls. Besides, Budzinski said, “Julia wanted to win,” always quizzing him about the day’s game, the Blue Jays’ record or the standings.

“It feels like I’ve been gone for months,” Budzinski said. “I know it’s been a couple of weeks, but it feels like forever. In the baseball season, you’re not used to being away from your teammates. It feels good to be able to see everyone’s face, give them a hug and thank them in person for all of the support they’ve given us.”

On a young roster, some of the Blue Jays’ players were experiencing a loss of this magnitude for the first time. Budzinski sensed this, and he was quick to communicate to his team that he simply wanted them to be themselves. He would answer any questions they had, and what worked for them would work for him. The respect these players have for Budzinski, now in his fourth year with the Blue Jays, has been evident throughout.

The marathon of a 162-game baseball season creates such a narrow focus on results and standings, but these past few weeks have taught Budzinski something else about the game and the people in it.

“The world is full of a lot of good people,” Budzinski said. “That’s what really hit home for us, is how many good people there are in the world to support us through this. Obviously, it’s still difficult. You can tell I’m emotional. It will never be the same. But we have a strong faith and know that Julia’s in a better place now, and we look forward to seeing her one day down the road.”