The Heart of a Champion: Tammy Adler’s Story

I often look at athletes as the epitome of a champion. From their athletic ability, sportsmanship, perseverance, strength, grit, commitment, etc - athletes show the rest of the world what it means to be a champion. They compete for championships and some teams or people earn the title of “World Champs.” Over my years of being married to an athlete, I have observed that it’s one thing to be a champion in sport; it’s another thing to be a champion in life.

There is one woman who stands out to me more than others with what it means to be a champion in life. Her name is Tammy Adler and she could easily be described as a champion of athletes. Her ministry was behind the scenes, not heralded by a crowd or audience. Yet she was faithful, committed, and possessed grit just like an athlete. My husband first met her in 2014 when he played professional hockey for the Allen Americans. Tammy was a season ticket holder and a fan of the team. As a believer, she was also so much more.

She used to meet Gary after his practices and walk with him around the whole rink, praying for the players on the team, the coaches, staff and for those who would come to watch the game. Through her friendship with Gary, she began to serve on the FCA Hockey Prayer Team, committing her Saturday mornings to praying for their athletes, families, and staff. She also served on the Prayer Team for Pure Encouragement. She was an unsung hero - she has prayed for hundreds of athletes - most of whom have no idea how faithfully and continually she lifted their needs up before the Lord. She did not ask for anything in return; she did this from a heart of love for God and others.

As newlyweds, Gary and I went through a great trial that led us to begin our marriage in Dallas with no jobs or place to live. Tammy took us in and we lived with her for three weeks until we got on our feet. In fact, it was at our wedding that Gary said, “Michelle, I would love for you to meet my friend Tammy - also, she is the person we will be living with 7 days from now!” Tammy and I always laughed about that. She took us in and helped us process through our trial. She showed me more kindness than I have ever experienced from someone. She was a gentle soul who loved - truly loved - others. I watched her serve as a Stephen Minister through her church, where she met with widows one-on-one to comfort them in their time of crisis. Tammy lost both of her parents and her husband within years of each other, so she knew what it was like to walk through grief.

In 2021, her daughter and our friend, Lisa, passed away unexpectedly, and I witnessed her bear that loss with incredible fortitude and faith. One trend I noticed in Tammy was her focus on others even in the midst of her pain. When Lisa passed, Tammy continued to pray for others. In late 2023, she was diagnosed with incurable cancer and given only 6 months to live. She spent the rest of her days praying for others and organizing the monthly prayer calls for Pure Encouragement. Gary spent a few days with her shortly before she passed and even to the last, she had a list of people she wanted to pray for with Gary.

Tammy went to be with Jesus on Saturday, August 17th, surrounded by her family. A few days earlier, Gary and I spoke with her on the phone and she was still full of faith, though barely able to speak. She told her daughter in her last week that going through this process wasn’t scary, just hard. She possessed a peace that lasted through every trial in her life. She was able to pass this peace on to others. I experienced this when I lived with her. I watched her share it with others as she visited them in hospitals and met with widows. She possessed this peace even in her final days on earth.

We often see people in the prime of their life, showing up and “showing out,” and we marvel at their ability. We glory in their athleticism and strength. Yet, I never want to overlook the power of a life yielded to Christ. Tammy was a champion in every sense of the word. She lived out Galatians 6:14, “far be if from me to glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” She had faith, she persevered, she prayed. She lived her life with open hands lifted up to her Maker. She ran her race with endurance, fixing her eyes on Jesus the whole time. We honor Tammy, not just for the way she served or the things she did, but for her heart. She was an inside-out athlete, serving from a heart that overflowed with love and faith. She was a true champion.