Red Sox broadcaster Jerry Remy said recently that Thanksgiving is his favorite holiday because he gets to spend time with his family. According to Remy, turkey day doesn't have the hoopla like Christmas does, and that's OK with him.
"It's just a nice quiet holiday where we get together," said the 66-year-old Remy. "I have grandchildren that come over. This is one holiday I really look forward to."
Spending time with his family isn't the only reason Remy is thankful. After missing most of the second half of the 2018 season because of a recurrence of lung cancer, Remy was at the Red Sox's World Series victory parade earlier this month and announced he is cancer-free. It's been a decade since Remy was first diagnosed with the dreaded illness.
"A week ago, I had a CAT scan and it came back clear. That's the good news," Remy said. "I live three months at a time. I go [to the doctor] every three months for a CAT scan to see if there is anything growing. It was nice to get this one right before the holidays. So I'm going to enjoy Thanksgiving and go from there."
How well is Remy doing? Well enough to go to attend the Plymouth Thanksgiving Parade last Saturday. A lot of fans from Red Sox Nation wished him well and are hoping he is back in the booth with Dave O'Brien. To fans, Remy is known as "RemDawg" and is a legend with Red Sox Nation for mingling with the fans.
By going to the parade, Remy is sending a message to his fans to never give up. Remy advises people to get annual physicals. He said he would have never known about his cancer if he didn't see his primary doctor.
"If you have regularly scheduled physicals, get in there and get it done," Remy said. "A lot of people seem to be afraid to do it because they don't want bad news. The fact is, if you get bad news, at least [the doctors] can do something about it."
Remy said he has a never-ending battle with cancer. He has done everything possible to confront the dreaded disease. He has gone through chemotherapy, radiation treatments and surgeries.
"I've learned to live with it, but I still get very nervous every time I go in for a CAT scan," Remy said "It's always in the back of your mind that you have it. You just hope the doctors can do what they can do to control it or even cure it. It becomes a way of life."
Being in the broadcast booth is a way of life for Remy, who is going on his 31st season as a color analyst for NESN. That's not including his seven years with the team as a second baseman.
"As long as I'm healthy, my plan is to keep going for two reasons: I love the job and it's a great diversion of what I've been going through," Remy said. "If I didn't like baseball and I didn't like my job anymore, I would call it quits now. But that's not the case. I still have a passion for it. I love what I do. I'm fortunate to work with good people. So I don't see an end to it unless something gets me first."