Yankees Clint Frazier (Red Thunder): The Maturation of a Young Man

Ethan Rutledge, Emily Rutledge, and family

Ethan Hunter Rutledge (video)

The Yankee’s Clint Frazier, back to his hometown of Loganville Georgia after turning around his first big league season in the Indians organization. Enjoying his time away from the game as all players do, Clint and his family were off in Panama City, Florida. On a much-needed family vacation. When tragedy stuck a family in his hometown.

Ethan Rutledge, a high school under-classmate of Yankees Clint Frazier, lost his life in a car wreck. Ethan had just started out his college life, as a freshman.  For no clear reason, a young man lost his life. Ethan was that kid who was prom and homecoming king and football player. There were no signs of phone usages, texting or drinking. The intersection of highway 81 and 70 (now know as Ethan Rutledge Intersection), Clint Frazier’s fellow high school student was gone.

A few weeks passed, and Clint arranged a meeting with the Rutledge family. A young man showed up at the Rutledge family home with his favorite book, in his hand. “What to Do on the Worst Day of Your Life,” Clint gave this book to Ethan’s mom. Charity Rutledge still cherishes this book today and its Christian message. That evening he met Ron and Charity Rutledge’s daughter, a High School student, Emily Rutledge. The lost of her big brother devastated Emily. Ethan was her rock, confidant, best friend and inspiration in life.

Later that evening the Yankees Clint Frazier made a large personal donation to the Rutledge family to help them out during their time of need. That was secondary to Clint, he then gave Emily and her family, his cell phone number and email address.  Not only has this young man become a mentor and confidant to the Rutledge family. He has become Emily’s missing part in her life; Clint Frazier is now Emily’s big brother, best friend, and confidant. Always there to help out a struggling teenage girl, cope with the lost of her big brother and the struggles of everyday life a young women faces.