VIERA, Fla. -- Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy and outfielder Matt den Dekker were saddened about the passing of Shannon Forde, who was the senior director of media relations for the Mets. She died Friday at the age of 44 after a long battle with breast cancer.
Murphy and den Dekker, both former Mets, didn't hear the news about Forde's passing until Saturday morning. They said she was a more than a member of the Mets; she was selfless and thought about others before herself. Murphy said she was present during the club's playoff run last year.
• Mets PR director Forde dies of breast cancer
"I was blessed enough to know her personally, being in the Mets' organization as long as I was," Murphy said. "With the discussions and talks that we had, especially the last few years, I'm convinced that Shannon Forde is no longer in pain. That gives me a level of peace. My heart goes out to the family. She was a great woman and I was honored and blessed to have a friendship with her."
den Dekker called Forde a positive person. Even though the illness was tough on her, she was always smiling.
"It seems she always put the players first," he said. "It's nice to have people like that in the game. Obviously, she is going to be missed."