DETROIT -- Red Sox Nation was dealt an unexpected and heavy blow on Wednesday afternoon when beloved NESN broadcaster Jerry Remy announced he would be stepping away from the booth to undergo treatment for lung cancer.
“As I’ve done before and will continue to do,” Remy’s statement on Twitter via NESN read in part, “I will battle this with everything I have. I’m so grateful for the support from NESN, the Red Sox and all of you. I hope that I’ll be rejoining you in your living rooms soon.”
The 68-year-old Remy has been a staple on Boston broadcasts as the Red Sox color commentator since 1988. Fans missed him dearly for periods during the 2008, ‘13 and ‘17 seasons due to an initial lung cancer diagnosis, then a pair of relapses. In November 2018, Remy announced he was cancer-free, which made Wednesday’s news all the more difficult to stomach.
"[Remy] texted me before the game and said, 'Get them going,' and I'm like, 'We'll get them going, but we'll be fighting with you,' so this one's for him," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said prior to Boston's 4-1 win against the Tigers on Wednesday.
"He's always been there for us, not only for the players but for [the media], for the whole fan base and Red Sox Nation, and this time, we're going to stay together and we're going to be fighting with him."
On June 11, Remy left Fenway Park in the third inning of Boston's game against the Blue Jays due to shortness of breath. He spent five days in Massachusetts General Hospital and returned to work on June 20 against the Royals.
Remy grew up in Somerset, Mass., about an hour outside of Boston and spent the final seven seasons of his 10-year MLB career playing second base for his hometown Sox before retiring in 1984. A .286 career hitter with Boston, Remy gained the most fame in post-playing days, using his iconic storytelling and even tone to win the hearts of Boston fans across the globe.
Remy was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2017. In 2007, Remy was even elected honorary president of Red Sox Nation. On June 24, 2008, Boston celebrated Jerry Remy Day at Fenway Park in honor of Remy's 20 years with NESN.