Buddy Baker, a longtime NFL agent, lost both of his parents just minutes apart from each other due to coronavirus. He posted a video on Twitter Tuesday to share the news, and he stressed to everyone to listen to what the Centers for Disease Control had to say in terms of social distancing.
“As many of you know my parents recently contracted COVID-19 and unfortunately passed away this past Sunday due to complications,” Baker said in the video. “My parents were amazing people. They were married 51-plus years and they passed away six minutes apart. Just a few weeks ago, they were in perfect health.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
In loving memory of my mom and dad- please make the tough and right choice and help stop the spreading of this virus. pic.twitter.com/FqVEWjdscq
— Buddy Baker (@ESG_Baker) March 31, 2020
Baker, who represents Seattle Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin and Indianapolis Colts tight end Jack Doyle, said he hopes his parents’ deaths is a wake-up call for people who don’t think anything like this can happen to them.
“We live in a world of, ‘It can’t happen to me, it can’t happen to us, it can’t happen to my family.’ Well, it happened to us,” he said. “I’d like to take this time to make people start thinking about making a change. …”Practice social distancing, wash your hands as regularly as you can, and importantly stay at home.”
A number of people who are in the sports industry came to the aid of Baker.
“I’m so so sorry for your loss!” agent Nicole Lynn responded on Twitter. Praying that God gives you peace in this very tough time.
“I am so unbelievably sorry to hear this, Buddy,” Jenna Laine of ESPN wrote. “My heart breaks for you and your family. Thank you for speaking out.”
“Prayers to you and your family Buddy,” Purdue basketball wrote. Your Boilermaker family is thinking of you.”
The U.S. has the most cases of coronavirus as over 189,600 in the country have contracted the disease according to NewsWeek. There have been over 4,000 who have died from coronavirus and over 7,000 have fully recovered.
“Sometimes people — especially young people — can feel like they’re immune to something or invincible,” Baker said. “That’s simply not the case. It’s not the easy choice, but it’s the right choice. It’s the safe choice. “Hopefully, this can be a catalyst for a change.”
According to USA Today, Baker is one of the 15 agents on the NFL Player’s Association advisory committee. He is also an NBA agent and represents basketball coaches.
