One week ago this morning, my birth father, John Huddy, passed away in St. Luke’s Hospital in Boise, Idaho.

I held his hand as he left this life and will forever be grateful for the small blessings that allowed me to be there with him.

As I detailed in an article I wrote the night of his death,  I had just got home the night before from a two-week trip to Texas—just 15 hours before he would pass.

I’m so grateful that he wasn’t alone in the hospital when he died and that his two grown children on the East Coast, John Trevor Huddy and Juliet Huddy, were able to FaceTime with him and say goodbye in the final few minutes of his mortal life.

The following days were a blur of notifying family and friends, finding a funeral home, a final viewing by close family, a return to the hospital to thank the doctors and nurses who were there at the end and so on.  

Since my father’s passing a week ago, I’ve been overwhelmed by the amazing compassion and support from the softball community as dozens of players, parents, coaches and others in the sport we all love have texted and emailed me their condolences and heart-felt best wishes.

Here are just some of the touching messages I received over the last week:

• Just wanted to let you know that you have been in my prayers 🙏🏻🙏🏻
• Sorry to see about your father! Take the time you need, softball can wait
• Prayers for you and your family. Very sorry to hear about your dad.  🙏
• My condolences for the passing of your father. I lost mine 24 years ago and it still hurts today so no matter how old you get it’s hard to lose a parent.
• Wanted to reach out and let you know that I am very sorry to hear about your dad. I can only imagine what an amazing man he was based on how awesome you are. Please know I am praying for you and your family!!
• Brentt, wanted to give you a few days before reaching out. Please accept my deepest sympathies on the passing of your father. It’s never easy losing a parent, we lost my mom in February.  If there is anything I can do, even just to talk/vent, please know I’m here. 
• Thinking about you, my friend please let me know if there’s anything that we can do to support you on this time 🙏🙏🙏🙏
• Big time prayers my friend.
• (My daughter) told me she saw a post that your father passed away. I’m so sorry to hear that. I will say a prayer for you and your family during this difficult time.
• Prayers go out to you and your family may God 🙏 bless your dad
• Hi Mr. Eads, I saw the post about your father passing. I’m so sorry and I will keep your family in my prayers.
• Thinking about and praying for you my friend.
• Sorry for your loss.
• Saw the note about your father. The whole family is thinking about you guys 🙏
• Hey Brentt just seeing the news about your father! Sorry for your loss! Praying for you and your family during this time! 🙏🏾♥️

• 

  Brentt, no words I can say to you at this moment that will ease a pain in your heart, my sincere condolences to you and your family at this difficult time. May you all be blessed with strength to heal your hearts🙏🏽. Continued prayers for your entire family and loved ones.
• Sorry to hear about your Dad!! My phone’s always on if you need to talk!!
• Our family prayers are with you my man!
• I’m very sorry for your loss. Wishing you and your family strength and peace. 🙏🏽
• Hello Brent, we send our deepest condolences to you and your family during this difficult time. Sending prayers for comfort and grace. 🙏
• Brentt – our sincere condolences with the passing of your Father. Our thoughts & prayers are with you & yours. Be well brother.
• I am really sorry to hear about your dad.
• Prayers my brother. 🙏🏼
• 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
• Thinking of you. 🙏🙏🙏
• Keeping you and your family in prayer! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
• Hi! Sending prayers to you and your family! I just saw the post on Instagram and wanted to say you guys are in my prayers
• Hey Brentt – very sorry to hear about your father.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.  
• I am sorry for your loss, losing our Fathers is one of the toughest things to go through. Our prayers are with you and your family.
• Thinking about and praying for you my friend.

 To EVERYONE who reached out, thank you so, so much… I have been greatly lifted up by your empathy and compassion.

As I closed out the article last week, I wrote:

A final note that’s obvious, but never as much than in a day like today for me: give your loved ones an extra long, extra firm hug. If you’ve had spats with anyone close to you, take the first step in offering a gesture of peace.

You may not get that chance to say goodbye like you may want to.

*****

A Daughter Reaches Out to Her Father… To Say “I Love You”

One of the e-mails of support came from Danika Spinogatti, the freshman infielder at Florida State and a contributing writer to our site.

She wrote of a wonderful experience that brought tears to my eyes:

Mr. Eads,

I am sorry to hear about the loss of your father. I read about it the other day and immediately called my dad to tell him I loved him.

He was kinda surprised as it was totally random, but after reading your article I felt compelled to. He called me a “weirdo” and then told me he loved me back lol!  

I hope you were able to celebrate his life and will cherish the good memories. 

Thanks, 

Danika 

Why did this make me emotional?

I wondered that myself, but ultimately realized that out of a difficult loss came a wonderful result—a daughter stopping everything to call her father to say she loved him (if only we would do this more often with people we love in our own lives!).

*****

Here’s the recollection from Danika and her father Dean Spinogatti regarding their conversation last Thursday (Dec. 4, 2025):

Danika Spinogatti (Daughter)

After reading your article it kinda hit home that I do not tell my dad enough that I love him.

I have seen similar situations before on social media where someone loses a loved one and tells people to make sure you hug and kiss your loved one because you’re gonna miss them when they’re gone.

I don’t what it was, but it just felt like the thing to do at that particular time and place.

My dad is a great father and an amazing provider for our family but he also was my coach for a long time so I do kinda owe it to him to let him know I love him.

We don’t say it often enough to each other because he doesn’t deal with the mushy stuff well 🤣 but something at that moment felt like the right time to call and tell him.

When I told him that I loved him he thought something was wrong and basically asked me if I was ok. I told him that everything was fine and that I just wanted to let him know since I don’t say it enough.

I don’t know if I am “Daughter of the Year” exactly but I will accept that title for the time being! 😂

*****

Dean Spinogatti (Dad)

I am a product of being raised by tough love, so emotion and vulnerability are not two of my stronger traits unfortunately.

Thankfully, my wife always showered our kids with affection and love, so they got the “best of both worlds” in my opinion (laughs).

I tried raising Danika to be a fierce competitor who viewed her opponents as enemies when the game started but then could flip the switch afterwards and genuinely congratulate opposing players no matter whether you won or lost.

It was always a work in progress, but she definitely got her competitive side from me. 

Our conversations now that she’s in college are different because she’s faced with entirely new challenges, especially now that she just had ACL surgery, but to get a random call from her to say she loved me was very touching…

… but it did feel like something was off because it doesn’t happen often.

When Danika called, I said:

“Uh-oh, what happened now?”

… because I thought she was setting me up for some bad news or something, but she then followed up with:

“Nothing, I’m all good,” she said. “I just felt like calling to tell you that I love you because I don’t say it enough.”

Again, not something that normally happens so I said:

“You sure you’re OK?”

And she said:

“Yeah.”

I replied:

“OK weirdo, I love you too. I’ll call you later.”

And she replied:

“Later, dork.”

And we hung up. 

So, all in all, a quick call in the middle of the day that did bring a smile to my face and a feeling of security knowing I was being appreciated.

Finding out later that your article resonated within her to call me was very heart-warming.

Once I read your article myself it resonated within me as well because I lost my dad 12 years ago from a stroke, so I know exactly what you were going through.

Thank you for publishing that because this small chain of events seemed to provide us all with some clarity and appreciation.