Instagram Tyler Skaggs' family includes his mother (l) and wife (r).
Tyler Skaggs, the 27-year-old Los Angeles Angels pitcher who tragically passed away in Texas, leaves behind a family that includes a mother who has worked as a coach and a spouse who frequently wrote about her love for him.
Skaggs was a pitcher with the Los Angeles Angels. His death was announced in a statement from the team. The Angels statement read, “It is with great sorrow that we report Tyler Skaggs passed away earlier today in Texas. Tyler has, and always be, an important part of the Angels family. Our thoughts and prayers with his wife Carli and his entire family during this devastating time.”
The Angels are in Texas to play the Rangers; however, as a result of Skaggs’ death, Monday’s game has been called off.
According to a press release from the Southlake Department of Public Safety, the Southlake Police Department responded to a call of an unconscious male in a room at the Hilton hotel in Southlake, Texas, at 2:18 p.m. on July 1, 2019. The man was Tyler Skaggs and he was pronounced dead at the scene. No foul play is suspected.
“We would like to extend our condolences to the Skaggs family and to the Los Angeles Angels organization,” the department wrote.
Southlake Police Department Press Release 7/1/19
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Tyler’s Mother Debbie Hetman Was a Well-Known Coach in Santa Monica & Works as a Physical Education Teacher
“Happy Mother’s Day mom love you so much thank you for everything you do for me,” Tyler wrote in a post on Instagram on Mother’s Day in 2017.
Debbie Hetman, Tyler’s mother, was a lot more than a mom. She was also a coach. Tyler’s Major League Baseball biography says that he “attended Santa Monica HS (CA), where he played baseball, football and basketball…Tyler’s mother, Debbie, was longtime softball and volleyball coach at Santa Monica HS.”
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District released a statement on July 1 that read, “We are devastated to hear the news that Santa Monica High School graduate, Tyler Skaggs, has passed away…Tyler continued to make visits to our schools the past several years to speak with students and we proudly watched his ascent in professional baseball, along with his family. Tyler’s mother, Debbie, was a previous girls softball coach at Samohi and is currently a physical education teacher. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and fans during this difficult time.”
Debbie is clearly one proud mom, as her social media is filled with posts in which she gushes about Tyler and his accomplishments.
Debbie’s last post on Instagram was in celebration of 2019 MLB Draft day. She said it was hard to believe it has been 10 years.
2. Tyler Married Carli Miles on December 1, 2018
Tyler Skaggs married Carli Miles on New Year’s Eve in a ceremony that was almost ruined when the parts of their venue were destroyed due to wildfires.
“Five days before the wedding, we learned the guest ranch would not be available due to the fire,” says Carli said in an article. “The fires were followed by the threat of rain, which meant mudslides were a possibility.” The wedding was important to them, but nothing compared to the impact the fires had on the people living in the area, Tyler said in the same article.
“I knew from the beginning that you were the one! I love you @tskaggs45 and can’t wait to marry you ❤️,” Carli wrote in a post on Instagram on November 10, 2017, after Tyler proposed to her in Bora Bora.
“The love of my life said Yes! ? ❤️,” Tyler wrote in his own post.
The couple frequently shared gushing posts about each other on social media, writing that they were the loves of each other’s lives.
3. Tyler’s Father and Stepfather Both Played Baseball
Tyler’s athletic instincts don’t just come from his mom. They also come from his father and stepfather.
Tyler’s father Darrell Skaggs played shortstop during his high school years at Canoga Park Senior High. His stepfather Dan Ramos played in college.
“His father, Darrell Skaggs, was a deadeye-hitting high school shortstop, and his stepfather, Dan Ramos, played in college and has helped with his wife’s softball team,” wrote Ozy.com.
4. Tyler’s Mom Was a Catcher at California State University
Athleticism – especially on the baseball or softball field – clearly runs in the Skaggs’ family.
His mom was a catcher at California State University, Northridge, according to Ozy.com. “Debbie has spent more than three decades mentoring the softball team at Santa Monica High School to a slew of local league titles and a pair of Southern California championships,” the site explained.
Debbie lost her father in August 2017. “Your battle is over, no more pain, no more suffering. I am proud to say you are my Dad, the greatest man I knew ❤️#familyfirst,” she wrote in a post.
5. Tyler’s Last Instagram Post Was About His Other Family – His Team
Tyler’s last post on Instagram showed the team. “Howdy y’all ? #TexasRoadtrip,” he wrote.
The Los Angeles Angels, in a statement confirming Tyler’s death, offered thoughts and prayers for his family.
“Tyler has, and always will be, an important part of the Angels Family,” the team said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Carli and his entire family during this devastating time.”