Sometimes life simply isn’t fair.

On Sept. 30, 2001, the world wasn’t fair.

That night the world lost a great person.

That person was Jordan “Jody” Gajewski.

Jody Gajewski’s life was brought to an all-too-premature halt on a road not far from his own home. He wasn’t drinking; he wasn’t doing drugs; he was simply tired. For one reason or another, God decided that it was time for Jody to leave this Earth.

At age 19, it shouldn’t have been his time yet-that I know. I also know that Jody left behind more people that cared about him than he probably ever knew. He had an uncanny ability to bring people together in life, and he continues to do so in death.

For two years, Jody was a member of the Saint Louis University baseball team. Through Jody’s passing one thing has become more apparent to me than anything ever before: The Saint Louis University baseball team is not only a team, but a family. And that family has lost a member.

Jody was well liked by his teammates and adored by those that were lucky enough to know him off the field. He was a gentleman, a joy to be around and a loyal friend.

He was able to develop a friendship with people with little or no effort. When you met Jody, you immediately understood why everyone liked him-because you couldn’t help but like him too.

Once you knew Jody, you understood one thing: He loved baseball. I had the honor of playing on the same field as Jody for one year, and there are things that I will never forget.

You hear about a player that arrives early at the ballpark so that he can get in extra work before a game. That was Jody. Then, after the game, the same player heads to the batting cage to work on his swing. That was Jody. In the morning, while most people are asleep, you hear about the same player working out in the weight room. That was Jody.

In a world filled with people that couldn’t care less about most things, there are those few that have a love, and they work their tails off trying to make that love tangible.

I feel that I can speak for every player that has ever had the honor of stepping onto a field with Jody in saying that he gave his heart and soul to every athletic contest that he participated in. It didn’t matter if it was the last practice of the year or the seventh game of the World Series, Jody gave his all.

It is said that you never know what you have until it is gone, and that is truer than I ever realized. For every person that Jody knew, we all will remember that last conversation that we had with him or the last time that we sweated together in a 100-degree practice.

Jody Gajewski didn’t deserve to die-that I know. I also know that Jody has moved on to a place far greater than anything that we know. At a time in which I can’t seem to grasp anything except pain, the one thing I am sure of is that a great person is now gone, and that just doesn’t seem fair.

The Saint Louis University baseball team will remember its lost family member forever.

Jody, we all miss you already.