Samantha Tucker talks about Kyle Tucker's injury frustration, supporting the Astros women and supporting Houston Hospice

Samantha Tucker knows how difficult Kyle Tucker's long absence from the Houston Astros has been for him. She sees what others don't – what her husband goes through every day as he works (and sometimes battles) through a serious shin injury.

“It was definitely hard,” says Samantha Tucker Paper City. “But I know he has so much support. From the team. From his teammates. Along with that support, he also has the support of teammates who have been through injuries and can say, 'This is what it could look like. It could take a few extra weeks. This is what your rehab could look like.'”

Samantha and Kyle Tucker have known each other for a long time. They went to high school together in Florida and were officially together for nine years before getting married last January. They are a young couple in love, living through their first baseball season as husband and wife while trying to do good in the community. They are also battling an injury that has kept Kyle Tucker out of action since June 3, abruptly ending an MVP start for the 27-year-old Astros outfielder.

This is a new world, too, as the rugged Tucker has played 157, 150 and 140 games over the past three seasons. Tucker began sprinting straight for the first time Tuesday in Philadelphia, trying to take a step forward in his comeback.

“From my perspective, the (Astros) women also helped me find my way in this new life on the injured list,” says Samantha Tucker Paper City“But he's on his way there. He can still travel with the team, which is nice. He can still be with the team.”

The Astros, who are winning and moving from one game behind in the standings to a three-and-a-half game lead in the American League West, are another consolation for Kyle Tucker. Thanks to their overall excellent pitching, Alex Bregman's resurgence, Jose Altuve's brilliant heart and Yainer Diaz's star performance, the Astros have had the best record in baseball since Tucker limped out of the lineup until some recent stumbles in Baltimore and Philadelphia.

“Seeing how well the team is doing even though he's not on the field helps take some of the pressure off him,” Samantha Tucker said, “even though he's trying to get back on the field as soon as possible.”

Samantha Tucker especially thanks Lance McCullers Jr. and Kara McCullers for helping the young couple navigate the situation. The McCullers also advised the Tuckers to start a charitable foundation, and the Kyle Tucker Foundation is becoming more and more involved in the community. The Tuckers hosted an event for Houston Hospice at a recent home game, where Kyle Tucker met with hospice workers and their families, shedding light on an issue that young people rarely think about.

“I told him that,” Paul Mansfield, a doctor at MD Anderson Cancer Center, said of Tucker. “I've been in medicine for 40 years, and that kind of forward thinking is extraordinary.”

“It was definitely tough. But I know he has so much support. From the team. From his teammates.” — Samantha Tucker on her husband Kyle Tucker’s injury.

Why the Tuckers chose hospice care

Kyle Tucker and Samantha Tucker decided to make hospice care one of their causes after seeing how much it helped their family when Kyle's beloved grandfather was dying during the 2021 playoffs and passed away during the Astros' run to the World Series.

“We've been talking about starting a foundation for a few years,” says Samantha Tucker. “We wanted something unique. … When Kyle's grandfather actually had to go to a hospice, we came up with the idea: 'Let's start a hospice. Let's see what we can do with it.'”

It's becoming a movement to make hospice workers feel heard. End-of-life care isn't always pretty and requires compassionate caregivers who put patients and their families first.

“There are a lot of frontline caregivers and our society underestimates what that means,” says Mansfield, whose own father died peacefully in a hospice. “To clean up someone who can no longer control their bowel movements. And to do it in a respectful and dignified way. These are hard things and for them to be able to step away from it with an experience like this is special.”

“Out here you kind of feel like a star.”

Mansfield looks around the Field Club, the guard-staffed, sunken area that seats about 100 people at field level. The outfield grass is just beyond the fence, providing a unique view of the game. Kyle Tucker stopped by to meet the doctors, hospice caregivers and their families. He posed for numerous photos and impressed Mansfield with some of the questions he asked.

“I think my favorite part so far was seeing Kyle come out on the field,” Samantha Tucker said. “It was great to see him stand around for a while, ask and answer questions. And then see people come back with the biggest smiles on their faces. Seeing that admiration and excitement to be here, but also seeing Kyle, was great.”

Wearing a simple, long black summer dress, Samantha Tucker remains at the Field Club, continuing to socialize with Houston Hospice officials, doctors and nurses long after Kyle Tucker has to return to the team's dugout for the actual game. She seems comfortable in this environment, introducing herself to people and asking what they do at the hospice.

This is anything but someone who is just making a symbolic appearance for charity.

“Sam is a driving force,” said Chris Heran, senior president of the Athletes and Causes Foundation, which co-manages the Kyle Tucker Foundation. “She helped organize everything today. She's been here all day talking to the doctors and so on.”

Samantha Tuckers Driving Care

When the Kyle Tucker Foundation supports a cause, Samantha Tucker wants to make sure it counts. She's truly committed to the cause. That's how she grew up in Tampa.

“Especially since I was a kid, I've always done volunteer work,” says Samantha Tucker. “My parents always instilled in me the idea of ​​giving back to our community in any way I could. With time. With items. When Kyle told me a few years ago that he wanted to support something, I thought, 'Absolutely. Where can we start? What can we do?'

“Because we both want to give back to the community now that we are able to.”

For a 27-year-old professional athlete, who has often been on the verge of superstar status, to give back is something unexpected. The leaders of Houston Hospice are also surprised.

“We were not only pleased, but heartened that he considered it,” said Sue Stiles White, a board member of Houston Hospice. “There are certainly more glamorous options. Sometimes people are hesitant to talk about end-of-life care or don't want to think about it.”

“It’s very special that someone as young as Kyle and his wife are getting involved in this.”

Kyle and Samantha Tucker want to be a big part of the Houston community. And Kyle Tucker is still determined to be a big part of this Astros season.