Tyson Brummett: How the Former Phillies Pitcher Spent His Post-MLB Life

Former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Tyson Brummett died Friday morning when his airplane crashed outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. The 35-year-old was one of four victims of the crash. With the news of his death, several MLB fans wondered how Brummett spent his time after the last appearing in one game for the Phillies.

Brummett last played baseball in 2014. He was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ minor league team, AA Chattanooga Lookouts. He finished the season with a 4-5 record in 13 starts and was named to the mid-season all-star team. However, the team released him in 2014, marking the end of his baseball career but the start of his time as a Certified Flight Instructor.

Following his stint in baseball, Brummett returned to Utah and became a pilot. He also worked with fellow CFI, Nick Henderson-Williams, while taking part in a grassroots campaign to assist medical professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic, which became known as Goggles for Docs. The pair delivered donated goggles to nurses and doctors in California, using their piloting skills to make the journey from Salt Lake City to Santa Monica.

According to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Brummett and Henderson-Williams delivered 270 pairs of goggles amid the pandemic. Local Utah residents had donated the protective equipment at the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Center of Excellence as part of the ongoing campaign. Goggles for Docs collected more than 38,000 pairs of goggles from the end of March until May 4 as several high-profile athletes became involved.

“I decided to get involved with Goggles for Docs because my sister is a nurse here in Utah and she expressed the huge need for personal protective equipment (PPE),” Brummett said, per the AOPA. “My buddy Nick works at the [Salt Lake City] Cirrus Training Center and with help from the owner who is very charitable secured us an airplane to help deliver the goggles.” Cirrus let Brummett and Henderson-Williams use an SR22T single-engine aircraft to make the journey.

“It’s amazing the places aviation can take us and the impact we can have when we help others,” Brummett continued. “Special thanks to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Teams, Elevate Aviation, [Goggles for Docs], and the many front-line workers helping us get through COVID-19.” Henderson-Williams agreed with the sentiment and said that aviation provided him with an opportunity to help others during the pandemic.

Following his time assisting Goggles for Docs, Brummett continued to work as a CFI in Utah. He ultimately died while flying an aircraft outside of Salt Lake City. The cause of the crash is unknown, but The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are currently investigating.