December 11, 2017- the #11 dedication/retirement

First of all, thank you all for being here. There are no words to describe the appreciation we have to you all and to everyone in the community whose love, generosity and support has helped get us through this tragedy.

Second of all, no one knows better than a sports fan, or athlete, the importance of setting a record.

So, I would like to set the record straight regarding the cause of Dylan’s tragic passing. I understand that there has been a lot of speculation, and there is no doubt that assumptions regarding Dylan possibly passing due to a self-inflicted alcohol or substance related death could be warranted; because, as we all know, Dylan loved life and he loved to be the life of the party. However, the medical report has determined that Dylan’s tragic death had nothing to do with alcohol or any substance use; in fact, the cause of his death was directly due to his type 1 diabetes, specifically failure of his insulin pump.

I feel I need to correct this record, not only to preserve Dylan’s reputation and legacy, but to raise awareness of the seriousness of Type 1 Diabetes. Approximately 1.2 million American children and adults have type 1 diabetes and Diabetes kills more Americans every year than both AIDS and breast cancer combined. If you or someone you know has type 1 diabetes, learn as much as you can about it and please understand the seriousness of this often silent disease.

I am hopeful that with continued research a cure will be found for Type 1 Diabetes and tragic deaths like Dylan’s can be prevented.

Again, thank you all for the continued support.

With love and gratitude,

Stacey