Myrtle Beach Pelicans bus driver loses fight with coronavirus
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans announced Monday that the team’s 46-year-old bus driver has died from complications from the coronavirus.
“It is with great sadness we announce team bus driver, Terrance Timmons, has passed away following his fight with COVID-19,” the team stated on its social media pages Monday evening.
Timmons, of Hemingway, drove for the team for the past four years on road trips in the Carolina League, which stretches as far north as Wilmington, Delaware.
The Pelicans started a GoFundMe page to help the family, and it was the idea of players and manager Steve Lerud after they learned of Timmons’ death.
“A lot of players and coaches were close to him, so when they heard about it they asked what we could do to help his family at this time,” Pelicans general manager Ryan Moore said. “. . . They develop a very unique bond and they’ve been hit hard by it and wanted to make sure his family is well taken care of.”
A GoFundMe goal of $5,000 had received more than $1,600 as of 8 p.m. Monday. The Pelicans organization details through the GoFundMe description the important role Timmons played for the Class-A Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.
“Terrance took great care of our team as they traveled to and from games across the Carolina League,” the description states. “This fund has been established by the Pelicans so that we can return the favor by helping take care of his team, his family. It is our goal to help with funeral expenses and provide groceries to his family for two months as they work through this difficult time. Thank you in advance for your generosity.”
The Pelicans’ season has yet to get underway due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has shut down nearly all sports across the world.
South Carolina has had 6,757 confirmed coronavirus cases and 283 related deaths as of Monday, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, and across the state there has been a 78-percent recovery rate after people have been confirmed with the virus. In Horry County, there have been 230 confirmed cases and 18 related deaths, according to DHEC.
This story was originally published May 4, 2020 at 8:05 PM.
