Yankees Legend Jim 'Catfish' Hunter's Daughter Dies During School Fire Drill
HERTFORD, N.C. (CBSNewYork) – Tragedy has struck the family of late Yankees pitcher Jim "Catfish" Hunter. The Hall of Famer's daughter has died after a sudden medical emergency during a school fire drill in North Carolina.
Kim Hunter Daugherty died Thursday morning of an undisclosed medical condition at Hertford Grammar School, according to WFMY.
Daugherty was just 45 years-old and was reportedly a teacher for 20 years before the shocking tragedy.
It's not the first hardship to befall the Hunter family, sadly.
"Catfish" Hunter was diagnosed with ALS, better known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in 1998. The man who had become famous for his legendary pitching arm quickly lost the use of both arms due to the neurological disease.
Hunter, who pitched for the New York Yankees from 1975-79, died in 1999 at age 53.
Although the family returned to their native North Carolina after Catfish's time in the Bronx, the Hunters were regular fixtures at Yankee Stadium for annual events like Old Timer's Day.
Perquimans County Schools assistant superintendent James Bunch told local reporters that Daugherty was "a great teacher, a great colleague, and she was loved."