Anthony Rizzo on meeting Florida shooting survivors: 'Hardest thing I've had to do'

MESA, Ariz. – Anthony Rizzo was diagnosed with cancer 10 years ago and endured six months of chemotherapy. That wasn’t as difficult as facing the grieving community in his hometown of Parkland, Fla., after Wednesday’s school shooting at his old high school left 17 people dead and 15 injured.

The Chicago Cubs first baseman left camp to lend his support to the victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High tragedy, then delivered a heartfelt speech at a candlelight vigil Thursday, vowing to students that normalcy would eventually return.

Upon rejoining the club Monday, Rizzo expressed his pride in seeing Douglas students speaking out demanding change, and related his experience trying to help out amid so much pain.

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“It was the hardest thing I ever had to do, going back,’’ Rizzo said. “You don’t know what to say. There’s nothing you can say. … Just to see how real it is, it’s sad.’’

A 2007 graduate of Douglas, Rizzo has become baseball’s main connection to a calamity that has gripped the nation as the latest in the series of mass murders. Shortly after hearing the news, Rizzo posted a tweet encouraging the community to stay strong and calling for change.

On Monday he emphasized that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s advocating gun-control measures.

“I don’t know what needs to be done. I don’t know enough about it,’’ Rizzo told news reporters. “I know there’s a lot of shootings. I know they’re done with a specific make (of weapon). But I don’t know what needs to be done. Some type of change needs to happen for the better.’’

Students in Parkland have gone on social and traditional media demanding action, appealing for civic leaders not to let Douglas follow the path of Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. Although 26 people, including 20 children, were killed in that 2012 shooting rampage, no meaningful measures were taken nationally to prevent such future tragedies.

“They just went through the scariest time of their life, that no one should ever have to go through,’’ Rizzo said. “For them to be outspoken about it, it shows they’re not just going to sit back and be another statistic. They really want to make a change.’’

None of Rizzo’s direct relatives perished in the shooting, to which former Douglas student Nikolas Cruz has confessed, but he knew several people affected.

Rizzo and his brother played football under Aaron Feis, an assistant coach and security guard who was killed by Cruz as he tried to shield students. In addition, Rizzo confirmed his agent’s niece was also shot dead.

“Every single one of my best friends in high school, we all have memories of coach Feis,’’ Rizzo said. “For him to lay his life down like that and save kids, it just shows the type of person he is. He has, I believe, a daughter or son at home. He’s a true hero. You have this monster coming in shooting up a school and he jumps in front of kids and saves their lives.’’

Rizzo grew up in Parkland, a small town in Broward County where his parents were among the first to buy a house. He not only still lives there but maintains ties to the school, to which he donated $150,000 for the installation of lights at the baseball field. He saw Feis three weeks ago at the lights’ unveiling.

Outfielder Albert Almora Jr., like Rizzo a native of south Florida, played against Douglas and was moved when he saw video of his teammate addressing the community during the vigil.

“I was speechless when I heard it,’’ Almora said. “When he gets emotional, I get emotional. It was tough to see him like that, because he cares so much. I was right there with him. I felt it.’’