Joey never won a Boston Marathon, a Peachtree or any other major race on our circuit for that matter. He never raced his chair to Gold as a Paralympian either. So what was it that brought so many together on a Saturday afternoon to celebrate this mans shortened life? If it wasn’t the moments of glory that we have become so prepoccupied with when it comes to idolizing a person, then it had to be something else, something very special indeed. The answers flowed gradually from person to person as they shared their personal moments openly. Joey was a friend. He was exactly what we should aspire to be, just a genuine human being and a friend to so many. From the personal stories of Joey upbringing in Spokane, Washington to his many race friends he just managed bring joy to people around him.
I knew Joey through other people. First my close friend Mike Trujillo, who spoke so highly of his friend and then Keith Davis who was there with him to his final breath. The times we had were just really fun. There is so much to share about this man, but the stories were told. I think at the end of the day, the simple takeaway is that many of us from different time periods lost a special friend. Joey Hamilton was a son, a Veteran, a racer, a hockey player, and and actor. He was also a very kind, funny and genuine person who would give the shirt off his back. I’m not sure there is a finer compliment or a better way to be remembered than that.