Many were shocked to hear that baseball star Oz Sailors had died at the age of 31. Nine days later, they learned she was still alive.
The San Francisco Chronicle published an obituary for pitcher and varsity coach Ghazaleh “Oz” Sailors after the nonprofit Baseball for All announced on June 28 that she had died of a “brain disease.”
The nonprofit said she died surrounded by her family and had set up a GoFundMe account to raise money for funeral expenses.
But the SF Chronicle later discovered that Sailors was alive and well and living in Easton, Maine. Several people contacted her and said they had seen her after her supposed death date.
On Wednesday, following news of her death, the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office conducted a welfare check on Sailors at the request of her family.
The San Francisco Chronicle published an obituary for pitcher and varsity coach Ghazaleh “Oz” Sailors after the nonprofit Baseball for All announced on June 28 that she had died of a “brain disease”
The sailors’ brother, Hajir, and a friend then received an email from an email address called “Baseball Kid.”
The email, signed “Oz,” read: “Please publish that I am alive and they announced my death earlier. And please make me the biggest fraud of all time.”
“I just wanted you guys to leave me alone, but you can’t even do that.”
Sailors is known as a pioneer in baseball and at one point was believed to be the only female head coach of a baseball team in the country.
At times she was also the only woman playing in the men’s competition.
At age 17, she joined the American women’s national baseball team, after which she attended college at Maine-Presque Isle.
Her professional career included competitions in Canada, Australia, Japan and Korea.
Sailors has reportedly been telling people for over a year that she suffers from “brain stem degeneration.”
Sailors has been telling people for over a year that she has ‘brain stem degeneration’
Sailors made the USA Baseball women’s national team at age 17 before heading to Maine-Presque Isle for college
Sheriff’s Office Commander Forrest Dudley said he personally spoke with the sailors.
When the SF Chronicle asked why Baseball for All posted that Sailors had died, Dudley said, “I’m not going to get into that. We’ve had a conversation about it. Her indication is that she just wants to be left alone.”
Sailors shared an Instagram post from a baseball field on May 6 that read, in part, “Grateful to say goodbye to baseball on the field that means the most to me. Grateful to be surrounded by family and friends… Grateful to end this fight like an owl. Thank you Jesus for everything.”
The news came six weeks after Sailor’s brother and mother received a text message from a man Sailor had previously claimed was her husband, saying she had died of breast cancer.
Shortly after receiving the message, Oz called her mother and told her she was safe, then quickly hung up.
On June 5, a GoFundMe was organized by a woman named Kristan Hammonds asking for “Support for Oz Sailors”
Sailors has been estranged from her family for years and accused her parents of unspecified abuse in 2014 when she was a senior in high school. Her family has denied the claims.
“I think she had a mental breakdown,” her mother told the SF Chronicle.
Sailors are also said to have asked her friends for money in recent months.
On June 5, a GoFundMe was organized by Kristan Hammonds, asking for “Support for Oz Sailors.”
The description read: ‘My friend, Oz Sailors, has had a huge surprise and her loved ones need our support!’
According to reports, sailors have also been asking her friends for money in recent months
Sailors is known as a pioneer in baseball, and at one point was credited as the only female head coach of a baseball team in the country. At times, she was also the only woman to play in the men’s league.
Then another sentence was added: “This GoFundMe is intended to help pay for funeral expenses.”
That fund has raised $3,145 and is no longer accepting donations.
When asked about the GoFundMe, Commander Dudley said, “If someone files a complaint, that is something we would look into.
‘There is no complaint at this time.’