S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4 59 He has explored through his faith, our true worth—learning that it’s not what you do that matters most, it’s knowing who you are. Deeply understanding this, Dave recognizes the value of relationships, the significance of continually evaluating his life’s purpose, the importance of enduring to the end, and living life with love and joy. NVL’s Kari Ruel and her 17-year-old intern Hannah Michelle Lambert interviewed Dravecky in Judith Caldwell’s backyard and were quite moved by the experience. Here’s an excerpt from the interview. (To read the entire interview, log onto nvlmag.com and click on “People.”) NVL: What was the transition like from playing baseball to figuring out what you wanted to do next, and how did you deal with it? DD: Obviously the transition was very difficult, because the choice was not mine to walk away from the game. The choice was cancer’s. And as a result of that, I was forced to walk away from the game that I loved so much. So the initial period of time that lasted for about 30 months after I had gone through the amputation was a very difficult time because I found myself in an identity crisis. NVL: So when you were a baseball player, you and a couple other players were also known as the “God Squad.” Did this group of men help you with your recovery? DD: Oh, very much so, I think my faith played a very big role in relation to being able to cope and deal. Because a big part of how I live my life and how I see God work and how faith is strengthened is when people come alongside you and in many respects reveal the face of God in that, through their love, their care, their concern, by being there. The friends that meant the most to me were the ones that didn’t try to fix me on this journey, but just loved me on the journey. When I saw that, I saw God loving me. They helped to put skin on Jesus, so to speak. Which was a beautiful picture, and as a result of that, it was a great encouragement walking through that period of my life. And as a result of that experience, it strengthened my faith. It strengthened my trust in him as I continued to live life. But it was still very difficult. It was still really hard. NVL: You said it took 30 months to do the initial transition? I mean, you’re probably always in transition. DD: I’ve learned life is one series of adjustments after another. But that 30-month transition is really Dave dealing with who he was before God, who he was as a man, who he was as a husband, who he was as a father, who he was as a friend. And what it really helped me to see was that my worth really had nothing to do with what I did and everything to do with who I am. And so that 30-month period was a time of me being in counseling, intense counseling. Intense counseling with Jan for 18 months, and then she supported me in 12 months of counseling for my anger issues. (Contined next page) These photos show the regard baseball fans have for Dave Dravecky. When we showed up at the ballfields at the Veterans Home in Yountville to take his picture for this story, a ballgame was in progress. We thought we would have to find another location for the photos. But very soon Dave was recognized by fans in the stands, who came down to meet him. The game was stopped so Dave could get his picture taken on the mound, and he even addressed the crowd for a few minutes. More photos of Dave with his fans followed, and Art & Clarity’s Lowell Downey kept taking pictures.
NVLife_SeptOct_2014
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