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Police have released new details about the sudden death of former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Duane Ward.
Ward was found deceased after Toronto police were called at 2:58 p.m. on Saturday, July 18, inquiring about a wellness check, according to the Toronto Star. He was 62.
At the time his body was found, Ward was supposed to be at Rogers Centre, home of the Blue Jays, for the unveiling of a statue honoring the team's back-to-back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993.
During the ceremony, Ward was due to ride in a truck with his former bullpen mate Tom Henke. Instead, Henke, 68, rode in the vehicle alone.
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"I didn't know at the time when I was in the truck that this had happened," Henke told the Star. "But I knew Wardo was missing and nobody knew where he was, and there was a search going out. I said a few prayers in the truck."
The Blue Jays announced Ward's death on Sunday, July 19, saying he died of "natural causes." An official cause of death has not been publicly released.
Ward's former Blue Jays teammate Todd Stottlemyre said on social media that Ward "went to sleep and never woke up."
The evening before his body was found, Ward abruptly left a dinner with a group of his former Toronto teammates.
"[Ward] and I kind of got by ourselves and visited for about half an hour [at the dinner]," Henke told the Star. "I never would have guessed it. He looked a little tired, but that was it. It was a long trip for him [from his home in Henderson, Nevada]. He said he was kind of tired, he was going to go to bed and get some rest for the next day. It was quite a shock. He was a great teammate."
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Stottlemyre, 61, who was also at the dinner, posted a tribute to Ward via social media on Sunday.
"We all came together in Toronto for a special celebration and tribute," he wrote via X. "With my deepest regret I am making this post. We had no idea our Friday night dinner and the photo I posted was going to be the last time we were going to see Duane Ward. From celebration to sadness in a moment."
Stottlemyre added, "Without your contribution there would be no BACK TO BACK. Life is short and we will never know when we will be called. Give someone a hug today and reach out to a loved one and tell them how much you love them. Prayers go out to the Ward family. RIP Brother, until we see you again."
