Chuckie Tartaglia went to Brockton High School. He graduated, worked in his family’s business, married his wife Christine, had three sons and moved to West Bridgewater. When two of his sons played for the Wildcats of West Bridgewater, Chuckie would cook the spaghetti dinner the night before games. Life dealt Chuckie a cruel blow. He was diagnosed with cancer and died just before Thanksgiving.
In their last game before Thanksgiving West Bridgewater beat Nantucket 44-14. When the game ended the entire team walked off the field, past the locker room, under the goalpost and kept walking and walking and walking. They didn’t stop walking until they reached Chuckie’s house. The entire team knelt on the front lawn with a hand over their hearts while the three captains rang the doorbell. Chuckie’s wife, Christine opened the door and the captains presented her with the game ball and told her the win was dedicated to Chuckie. As she stood on the lawn the entire team chanted “3-2-1- Chuckie T.” This spontaneous act of kindness and compassion will have a far greater impact than any win by this team.
Sports teams galvanize people like no other organizations on this planet. Chuckie’s family will grieve for a long time but they will never be alone. His spirit and his devotion to West Bridgewater will walk side by side with his family forever.
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