October 21, 2004 Hearn is touching ives on a daily basis speak to a group from Davita, an His message to Davita employees: organization that provides dialysis You can make a difference. for kidney patients. "Great things happen when you do It was a good thing I was sitting things for other people," Hearn told down because Hearn was the group. When I found out I was going to incredible. interview ex-New York Mets Hearn spent Tuesday morning catcher Ed Hearn this week I did a He told his story to the group of meeting with patients on dialysis at Davita's caregivers and how he Davita, which has two treatment little research. learned his kidneys were failing centers in the Poconos Ed Hearn, Ed Hearn, who is this less than a year after his retirement (davita.com). guy, I thought? from baseball. After Hearn concluded speaking, a Mets ... 1986 ... C'mon, catcher ... Talk about a curveball, Hearn's had few fans came up for autographs backed up Gary Carter. Nothing sunk a life of them. and a quick one-on-one. in. Hearn has every excuse to cry the It's only natural for people to So I went on the Internet and found blues. gravitate toward Hearn. out Hearn was a career .263 hitter and a player who spent one year Heck, as a player a rotator cuff "Just think if our country with the Mets, boasting the power injury at age 28 ended his career. concentrated on the issues that we talked about today, caring about of Mookie Wilson (Hearn hit just I quickly found out Hearn isn't one others," Hearn said. four home runs in 136 at-bats). to use excuses. "Take the 'I' out of me. You have After 15 minutes of searching, the After three kidney transplants and to take care of yourself too. most important bit of information I a current battle with skin cancer, "I'm going salmon fishing could find was that Hearn, now 44, Hearn isn't speaking around the (Wednesday). I don't neglect and two others were traded to the country so that people can feel myself or my family, but I'll bet Kansas City Royals for David Cone. sorry for him. you in the two days I'm here and Oh, and one other bit of Instead, it's quite the opposite. by the time I get back to Philly information, Hearn was a three- Hearn's quest in criss-crossing the Thursday night, I'll bet you I have time kidney transplant recipient. nation is to spread the word of touched somebody's life helping your neighbor. somewhere." So much for being prepared. This assignment was like none before. Some call what Hearn does My guess is it's a few dozen lives, So I went to Split Rock Resort to motivational speaking. I call it and then some. meet Hearn and listen to him inspirational speaking. .