A Bond Beyond Baseball: Teammates find solace in each other after deaths of family members

Colton Bradley and Michael Brettell were already friends and teammates, but two life-changing moments this summer elevated their relationship from friends to brothers.

The morning of June 7 started as a normal day for Bradley. His mother, Debra Bradley, attended his summer league baseball game.

Related Stories

Colton and his Central Michigan University baseball teammate Brettell — who was living with the Bradley family for the summer — played golf later that day.

Before his mother left their home in Augusta for her weekly bicycle ride, she gave Colton a hug, told him she would see him later that night and walked out of the door.

As Colton and Michael played table tennis and watched TV, Colton would soon find out he had hugged his mother for the last time.

“A few hours later, my dad came downstairs and said ‘hey, we gotta go check on mom,’” Colton said. “I didn’t have any idea of what was going on.”

Colton’s father, Thomas, received a phone call from a friend in Colorado who informed him of an automobile-bicycle accident in Kalamazoo County.

Colton immediately tried to contact his mother. He called her 10 times. He sent numerous text messages.

There was no response.

Colton and his father rushed to where the accident occurred. Both were unaware of the severity of the incident.

“It was about a 20-minute drive. With every passing phone call and text where I didn’t get a response, more and more, (it) was setting in like ‘Alright something bad might have happened here,’” Colton said.

When the father and son turned onto the street where the accident occurred, they were met by a sea of police cars, fire trucks and paramedics stretching nearly a mile down the road.

The road was blocked off, so Colton was forced to walk through a commotion that he said will stay with him for the rest of his life.

“That’s just a scene I’m never going to forget,” Colton said. “Walking down that street toward the accident, not knowing what had happened until the police had a chance to explain what had happened.”

Four miles into their bike ride, Debra and eight other members of “The Chain Gang” bicycle group were struck from behind by a pickup truck.

Five of the bicyclists were killed including Colton’s mother. She was 53 years old.

Charles Pickett, 50, was charged with five counts of operating while intoxicated casuing death and second-degree murder.

Devastated, Colton tried to wrap his mind around losing his mother.

Meanwhile, Michael was by his side.

“He stepped up and acted like a brother immediately,” Colton said. “Having him there the entire time let me know how great a friend he was and he’s always going to be a part of my life.”

Michael’s loss

Just like Michael was there for Colton through his unexpected loss, Michael experienced a death in his family two months later and needed Colton’s support.

On Aug. 12, Michael’s younger sister Katherine went downstairs to let their sister, Emily, know they were heading to the store.

“That’s when the whole world came crashing down,” Michael said.

Emily, 17, was exercising when her heart suddenly stopped.

Katherine found Emily unresponsive and alerted Michael, who then alerted his mother and then called 9-1-1.

“My first instinct was to go get my mom and get her down there and have her by her side,” Michael said. “It was just hectic from there. It was all a blur.”

Michael’s sister, Emily, died.

There was no explanation for her death. The family is still waiting for the autopsy report.

After hearing about the passing of Michael’s sister, Colton immediately traveled to Michael’s hometown of Fonthill, Canada to provide support.

“He was there for me,” Colton said. “His family came and supported my family during that tough time. The fact that he and his family made the sacrifice to come so far to be with my family, there was no way I wasn’t going to be there for him.”

Michael said he was surprised Colton made the lengthy drive to be with him and his family.

“He was there for me right away, as I was there for him too,” Michael said. “He’s always been there for me. He’s been by my side all the time.”

CMU baseball coach Steve Jaksa also attended Emily’s funeral.

“I was shocked,” Michael said. “I didn’t expect them to come being it was such a long drive. It was awesome to see the support that they gave me, and just being there really helped.”

A Brotherly Bond

In three months, the two friends had seen one another at their darkest moment. Through the unexpected loss of a mother and a sister, Michael and Colton leaned on one another, their families and their teammates to cope.

“This team is a rallying team,” Jaksa said. “I know they care about each other. There was a lot of pieces to this puzzle. We were in constant contact with our team and they knew what was going on. They knew it was important that they were there for them.”

To deal with what happened, the two spent time together doing things that would help take their minds off of those two fateful days.

“He’s been strong for me and I’ve been strong for him,” Michael said of Colton. “We’ve been there for each other just being brothers.”

As the two pitchers prepare to take the mound for another season, their fallen family members are there with them every time they throw a baseball.

As a tribute to his sister, every day Michael wears a necklace with a cross etched with Emily’s fingerprints, initials and some of her ashes inside the crucifix.

“Being able to hold her with me all the time has definitely helped me. Even when I’m on the mound, it helps me get through the day,” Michael said.

After gathering everything from the accident, some of Colton’s mother’s friends found a piece of the frame and a lense from the pair of glasses she was wearing.

Colton took those parts and added them to the glasses he now wears on the field.

He also wrote his mother’s initials inside of his baseball glove.

From time to time, he glances down at the stitching, where the phrases “Guided by an Angel” and “mom” comfort him.

“The messages I have on my glove help me take my mom to the mound with me just so I know a part of her is always right there with me at all times,” Colton said. “She’s got the best seat in the house, that’s for sure. She’ll never miss a game. I know she’ll be watching from up above guiding me every step of the way.”

CMU assistant head coach Jeff Opalewski said he believes both Colton and Michael will forever be connected by their similar experiences and are reassured in the affirmation of being able to seek comfort in one another.

“They can relate to each other on a totally different level,” Opalewski said. “Like it or not, their lives changed. There will always be a gap, but they have an opportunity to at least talk to each other and listen to each other. They’ve got a deeper understanding of how the other one is thinking.”

Although his sister wasn’t the biggest baseball fan, Michael her spiritual presence helps him on and off the field.

“The game of baseball has changed drastically for me,” Michael said. “I know she’s there with me. I know she’s there pushing me forward and keeping me on track to be the best that I can be.”

CMU opened its fall exhibition season on Sept. 20.

Their coach said he has noticed both men are more committed to baseball than before.

“In each of them, there’s a little depth to what they want to accomplish,” he said. “Something was taken away from each of them that they’ll never replace, and the only way they can pay tribute is how they go about their lives, how they represent their families.”

What took place over the summer will bond Colton and Michael, and the team will continue to support them, Jaska said.

“All we can do is hope and pray and give them the best guidance we can to sustain an emotional and difficult loss for both of them,” Jaksa said.

Neither Colton or Michael have a biological brother, but through their loyalty to one another during these unforgettable moments, they created a bond that will forever be deeper than just being teammates.

“We’ve been so much closer than ever,” Colton said. “I consider Mike to be my brother. We were good friends before. After everything that happened, he’s a part of my family and I feel like I’m a part of his.”

Staff Reporter Ashley Vanochten contributed to this article.