Former Curve staff member Kerri McEachern, fiance of State College Spikes general manager Jason Dambach, died Monday night after a short battle with cancer. She was 24.
"She was my everything," said Dambach, a former Curve broadcaster.
McEachern, a Gilbertsville native, was a popular Curve ticketing associate the past two years before leaving the franchise in January.
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"Those of us who work in baseball know that it is a tough business for females to break into, but Kerri was determined to succeed, and that she did," Dambach said. "Along the way, she made countless friends both at the ballpark and outside, something that came very easy to her because of her outgoing personality and desire to make everyone feel important.
"She also managed to attract a selfish workaholic and teach him that there's more to life than work and spending free time watching sports. We were engaged on Jan. 17 and were planning a fall 2009 wedding, but sadly less than a month later on Feb. 10 she was diagnosed with stage IV cancer."
McEachern had a rare, aggressive form of the disease, and it spread quickly. She and Dambach recently purchased a house in Bellefonte, but she was never able to establish residence in the home because of her illness.
Fact Box
Click on the link below for a story that appeared in the Mirror in April detailing Kerri's background.
The Altoona Curve also have a wonderfully touching video tribute to Kerri on their Web site. Click below for that link.
McEachern spent most of the past two months living with her parents in Gilbertsville.
"Throughout her numerous hospital stays, doctor visits and radiation and chemotherapy treatments, she never once complained or said 'why me,'" Dambach said. "She fought hard and brave even though she never likely had a chance from the outset of her diagnosis."
The Curve scheduled a moment of silence and video tribute to McEachern for Tuesday night's game against Akron, but the contest was rained out.
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Note: Obituary information and funeral details can be found in Wednesday's Mirror and online.
