Tribute to Jason Baird with Love
When Jason Baird was 15 years old, he became part of our family and household. I agreed to billet Jason him for 3 years while he played minor hockey for the Mississauga AAA Reps, Minor Bantam Team. There was never a dull moment, with 4 boys now in the household and playing hockey, sometimes you could easily call it insane. Jason Baird was quieter than the Pinizzotto boys but they got along beautifully. He was so sweet, caring and always ready to help. On ice he was smart, fast and tough as nails with quick hands to score. The boys had wonderful experiences as the team was wining games and champions while building long life time friendships. In the Bantam year, there were a lot of IHL scouts watching the Team, Manny Malhotra, Allan Rourke, Jason Baird and my son Jason were on the radar. Our great Coach Rob Honighan had a great team with skill and chemistry, all 4 of these players were drafted into the OHL. Jason Baird was drafted by the Erie Otters and moved to Erie leaving the our household not realizing that I would actually agree to having 6 more billets hockey players and 4 young friends of my sons share our home and family. Through the years, we have always kept in touch and naturally facebook is fabulous. We also kept in touch with Kim and John, Jason’s parent. They area close loving family and when the accident happened, the reality of how loved Jason is hit their doorstep. Jason was no longer living in his small town Cayuga, he was with his family in Texas. Through determination and love, soul deep he fought his battle to stay with us. I will always remember the craziness around the house and his cute smile and laughter just taking it all in. He always knew he could depend on us. We are family”.
Sadly to say Jason Baird passed away this year. He had a long fought battle with his accident but he grazed the heart of hundreds, thousands of people. He was a father, friend, relative and hockey play, coach and wonderful volunteer. “His life means so much to so many and we are grateful we had the chance to spend time with him. Jason you will always be in our hearts and memories forever”
Linda Pinizzotto works with John Stanton, Co-Founder, Running Room
The Running Room offers a variety of charity events, teaming up with individuals and groups to make a difference by supporting an important person or cause. This time it was both, the pain and suffering of a long time friend who had a horrific accident was the reason Linda Pinizzotto contacted John Stanton. She wanted to create a charitable “Run / Walk” for Jason Baird and she did. Working with the Running Room it was a great success and all funds were donated to Jason and his family. While Linda was lobbying for support for Jason; the Running room heard about the story and contacted her to help organize a Run/Walk on behalf of Jason Baird. It was a huge success says “Linda, I only wish this would have never happened, Jason is so loving, caring and he gives his heart to his family and friends.
Former Rep Player Critically Injured by Mississauga News
A former Mississauga resident and Mississauga Rep hockey player is in critical condition following an accident at his summer job in Ohio. Jason Baird, 27, suffered third-degree burns to 70 per cent of his body when a lawn mower on which he was riding exploded July 17 http://www.mississauga.com/sports-story/3137107-former-reps-player-critically-injured/
Big turnout for evening charity marathon by Gary McCarthy
Big turnout for evening charity marathon, an estimated 300 runners to to the streets for a marathon suporting Jason Baird Kym Baird, Jason’s mother, was in awe with the turnout. “This is so wonderful,” said Kym, who took part in a 2.5-kilometre walk with one of the marathon organizers, Mississauga realtor Linda Pinizzotto. “Every time you read a newspaper, you read about bad things. These people are so generous and thoughtful and they don’t even know him.” It’s wonderful Friends, family and perfect strangers will be in Mississauga tonight to rally around the cause of Jason Baird, the former Mississauga Reps hockey player http://www.mississauga.com/community/citizen/article/26406–big-turnout-for-evening-charity-marathon
Community, businesses help fallen hockey star by Gary McCarthy
Not all stories about athletes, or people in general for that matter, are glitz and glamour. There are as many tragic stories as happy ones. Mississauga realtor Linda Pinizzotto, who knows Baird from the days when he lived with her family while playing for the Reps, is also involved in collaborating the event. “We actually started working on this back in July,” says Pinizzotto, whose three sons played for the Oakville Blades of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. “Jason is a wonderful, wonderful boy,” adds Pinizzotto, who has devoted her website to outlining Baird’s story as well as providing links to enter the marathon and donate to the player’s fund. “I just spoke with him (Baird) on (Monday),” says Pinizzotto. “He has to have another operation soon. It’s not easy. http://www.mississauga.com/community/citizen/article/22276–community-businesses-help-fallen-hockey-star
Sutton Spirit Hockey Player Suffers Burns; Sutton Realtor on Mission of Aid
‘Hockey mom’, Linda Pinizzotto, a REALTOR® at Sutton Group – Quantum Realty Inc.*. billeted Jason at her home in Mississauga when he was a teenager playing minor league hockey with her son. “I set up the Jason Baird Family Trust Fund to help with his medical bills and his family,” says Linda. “I am also happy to report that the Running Room agreed to organize a benefit walk/run on December 3rd in Mississauga Now Linda is on a mission. It only takes seconds for a life to change. Professional hockey player Jason Baird and his family discovered that this summer when the lawnmower he was riding exploded, engulfing him in flames. This father of three had taken a landscaping job in the off-season to help pay the bills. http://suttonspirit.com/2008/11/20/hockey-player-suffers-burns-sutton-realtor%c2%ae-on-a-mission-of-aid/
Former Vaughan Vipers hockey player dies in Texas hospital by Michael Hayakawa
Former member of the now defunct Vaughan Vipers passed away Friday. Jason Baird, who toiled with the Vipers during the 1996-97 Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League season, died in a Corpus Christi, Texas hospital after complications from pancreatitis. The 33-year-old Cayuga, Ohio native last played professional hockey during the 2007-08 season as a forward with the Corpus Christi IceRays and Youngstown Steelhounds of the Central Hockey League. Hospitalized for the past month, Baird had numerous surgeries since a July, 2008 landscaping accident in Ohio in which he suffered burns to more than 60 per cent of his body after the lawn mower he rode exploded http://www.mississauga.com/news-story/4324726-former-vaughan-vipers-hockey-player-dies-in-texas-hospital/