This is an opinion piece.

Tim Becker has coached high school baseball for 30 years.

He’s one of the best at his craft, having won state titles at three different schools – UMS-Wright, St. Luke’s and McGill-Toolen.

He’s also one of the kindest men I’ve met in my career.

This spring, Becker will face one of the toughest seasons of his career — not because he has a young team or the competition is tougher or any of those on-the-field hurdles.

No, he’ll face the 2024 season without his wife. Jolie Ellington Becker died Aug. 17 after an eight-year struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.

She was only 59.

“She was just the most beautiful person I’ll ever know,” Becker said.

Jolie’s battle with this cruel disease was agonizing for Tim along with daughter Brittany, son Dalton and their family as it is for than 6 million other Americans and their families who are fighting the same battles daily.

The first sign came without warning in Jolie’s early 50s.

“My daughter and I were at home one day and Jolie was washing dishes,” Becker said. “She had just gotten home from work, and she kind of stuttered. We were really joking about it, saying, ‘Mom, have you been drinking?’ She looked at us and giggled. We saw her speech getting worse as time went on.”

Becker said Jolie was diagnosed with the same illness actor Bruce Willis suffers from – frontotemporal dementia. She lost her ability to speak completely three years ago.

“We still had ways to communicate,” Becker said. “I would put my hand over my heart to say I love you or she would give me a thumbs up. We just did things like that.”

In June of 2020, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and lost her job as a CPA.

The final three years of Jolie’s life were increasingly tough for everyone. Jolie had a fall on Jan. 28 of this year. That was the last day she walked. She was mostly bedridden for her final seven months, losing 50 pounds along the way. She had around-the-clock care.

“That last week or so was very emotional,” Becker said. “She wasn’t eating anymore. I don’t know if it was the dementia or a sign of her saying it was time to go. I tell you something, though. I wouldn’t wish what she went through on my worst enemy.”

Tim and Jolie met when both were students at South Alabama. They would have been married 35 years in October. Jolie was her husband’s biggest cheerleader.

“She was my rock,” he said. “If we didn’t play well and I would come home sulking, she would be there to lift my spirits. She was just amazing in that way. She cared about what I did. She cared that I was a teacher and a coach, and she knew how much I enjoyed it.”

Tim said Dalton and Brittany did a beautiful job paying tribute to their mother at her funeral and in the days that followed. In looking back a month later, he said it has been amazing to see how many friends have come to the family’s aid in such a difficult time.

“I didn’t realize we had so many friends,” he said. “There were a lot of coaches at the ceremony. I can’t even name them all. It was amazing how many people were there to celebrate a really great life.”

Becker said former South Alabama teammate and major league baseball player Luis Gonzalez called him two hours after Jolie died. His other former teammates have rallied around him as well. Becker said it’s been good to be back in school teaching at McGill and conducting baseball tryouts. He said his players, their parents and the McGill administration have been amazing.

“Being back in a routine has helped me a lot,” he said. “I don’t like to sit around and do nothing. It puts a smile on my face to see the kids. It just makes me feel better. I think I’ll be OK.”

Becker said his children are doing “pretty good” as well. Brittany is an ER nurse in Mobile and Baldwin County. Dalton – like his father – is a baseball coach at Pelham High. They will always remember their mom’s bubbly personality and willingness to help anyone in anyway she could.

They’ll carry on, living each day with her strength inside of them.

And, above all, they will know one important thing, the most important thing.

“She’s at home now,” Becker said. “Jolie’s in heaven.”

Thought for the Week

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” – Psalm 73:26

Ben Thomas is the high school sportswriter at AL.com. He has been named one of the 50 legends of the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Follow him on twitter at @BenThomasPreps or email him at [email protected]. He can be heard weekly on “Inside High School Sports” on SportsTalk 99.5 FM in Mobile or on the free IHeart Radio App at 2 p.m. Wednesdays.