Thank You, NEW YORK, for Making this Filipino Kid’s Dream Come True.

A GRATITUDE LETTER TO THE KNICKS, THE NBA, AND NEW YORK CITY.

It is with deep sadness but immense gratitude that I share I will no longer be a member of the New York Knicks Medical and Performance Staff beginning the 2023–2024 Season.

The past (almost) decade has been the greatest of my life. Being the first Filipino, raised and educated in the Philippines, to be on the medical staff in any of the four major sports, and in particular the NBA, was a dream that began when I was just 18 years old. For it to actually manifest 20 years later in the form of an opportunity with the Knicks, with The Garden (along with the Garden Faithful) as my home court, was more than what this kid from Manila could ever imagine. I not only fulfilled my own dream, but also that of millions of Filipino kids whose hope it was to have a chance to work at the highest level of the sport we all so love, all whilst in the greatest city on earth.

THE “BACK” STORY

This decision, although surprising to many, isn’t necessarily unexpected to those who truly know who I am — although it took a massive sign from the universe to stop me on my tracks to really show me the “why”. On the morning of June 13th, I experienced the most excruciating back pain I’ve ever experienced in my life, literally doing what I did almost daily — my morning routine. I found myself immobile on our training room table, with every slight movement causing knife-like pain on my lower back (~PAS 11/10 for you clinical nerds). As much as my colleagues wanted to help, the only thing they could really do is provide as much comfort as they could — for which I’m thankful. Ten hours past and with no real relief in sight, a decision was made for me to be transported to the hospital by ambulance, something that I was against from the beginning but slowly agreed to once 6 pm arrived. I spent the next 12 hours in the care of dedicated women of the Westchester Medical Center’s Emergency Room, thankful for being given a space of my own to go through the pain and pondering that was ultimately going to change the course of my life.

It was in the moments of true pause, whilst staring at the ceiling of the ER coming in and out of consciousness, that the EPIPHANIES arrived — and boy did they come in full force! Although I’ve spend most of my life since I was seven on this journey of “enlightenment”, there truly is nothing like looking back in your life and asking questions like “How did I get here?”, “Why now?”, and “If not now, then when?” because you’ve found yourself at a hospital alone and in pain in the middle of the night.

They say “signs” come in 3’s: First, the back injury. Second, my car radiator suddenly sprang a leak and started steaming out of nowhere, only 4 days after just going through it’s regular quarterly maintenance check-up. Third, my father had suddenly started changing his tone when it came to our conversations from professionally-focused to personally-focused. Could it all been coincidence? Or did the universe literally have to stop me in my tracks, force me to have no choice but to listen and learn, that perhaps a SHIFT in my life isn’t just coming, IT’S HERE. So what I am I going to do about it?

IT BEGINS AND ENDS WITH GRATITUDE.

I’ve been studying the Art, Science, and Practice of GRATITUDE for about 7 years now. I created the first and largest community (50K+) dedicated to gratitude on social audio app Clubhouse called GRATITUDE GANG during the pandemic in 2020 to give people around the world stuck in their homes a chance to share what they are grateful for and why in order to lift their well-being in the midst of uncertainty almost everyday for a year. I founded the one of the first ever social-impact based NFT projects in WEB3 called also GRATITUDE GANG in December of 2021, to help rebuilding efforts for schools in the Philippines ravaged by one of the most powerful typhoons to hit the region along with providing Mental Health services for these kids in order for them to cope with the trauma they endured. Furthermore, I’m currently on my 3rd year of my Ph.D. focusing on the impact of gratitude on the overall well-being of my brothers and sisters in the NBATA and the NBSCA who themselves go through their owns struggles while living their “dreams” in the NBA.

The GRATITUDE LETTER/VISIT is the most powerful intervention in Positive Psychology as it relates to degree of change of overall well-being (Seligman et al., 2005). Simply put, when you physically write a letter to someone you’re grateful for (and know the reason why) then deliver the letter in person, large gains in happiness as well as reductions in depression up to one month later have been seen (Seligman et al., 2005). These positive lasting effects occur when both writing the letter (psychological) and delivering the letter (social) mechanisms of the intervention are at work (Lyubomirksy et al., 2011).

So, in honor of that I am writing this GRATITUDE LETTER and dedicating it to the KNICKS, the NBA, and the inspirational humans of NEW YORK CITY.

1. Thank you to the New York Knicks, Madison Square Garden, the “Garden Faithful”, and every beautiful soul who’s life I’ve touched and who’s touched my life during these past nine seasons. I’ll begin with my immediate family — Roger, Anthony, Erin, Yen, Tara, Marc, Bandele, Shimon, Rich, Erika, Kiley, Daphne, Suites, Sam, Dr Allen, Dr Lisa, along with the colleagues and interns who have share their days and nights with me through the years as part of the Knicks’ Medical and Performance staff. You were there next to me in the trenches in the good times and the bad, AND STILL performed at the highest level. I will forever argue that we deserved to be recognized as “The Best Medical & Performance Staff in the NBA” not just for what we do for our players (and our coaches) because of the uniques pressures that come from being based in New York City. Speaking of the best…I wouldn’t be who I am today without the love I’ve always received from those who are away from the spot light — Miss Di, Miss Karen, Rachel, Makini, Faye, April & the kitchen staff, Building operations (both TC & MSG), all the men & women who provide security and food for the Knicks on the road and at The Garden, and of course, the most loyal fans in the NBA — The Garden Faithful.
2. Thank you to the NBA and everyone I’ve ever connected and collaborated with at league offices. Your continued dedication to improve the game around the world has continued to inspire kids like me to one day find themselves right in the thick of things of the sport we love. It’s been an honor to be in service of the brand and mission in these past nine seasons, and I hope to continue to do so in my own capacity moving forward.
3. Thank you to NEW YORK CITY, and humans that make it like no other place in the planet. It’s through your example I’ve learned how to be resilient, be more open to “anything”, and be more “direct”(a trait that I definitely learned being here). The eleven years that I’ve lived in and around the city have been some of the best of my life — I’ve found a community that has expanded my mind, body, and soul (thanks Mama Radha Agrawal, Eli-Clark Davis, Tim Patch, and other members of the DAYBREAKER family), found my calling as a “Kuya” (Filipino for older brother) in the Filipino Community (and others) in the New York area and beyond, and embodied what a true NYC host and guide would be for those looking to move into the city or merely visit for a short period. I’m honored to have represented the best parts of this city both while in it and when I’m outside of it traveling the world.

There are so many people, places, and moments that I’m grateful for that I feel if I wrote them all down this letter would be HUMUNGOUS. That said, if we connected, even for a little bit, know that I’m thankful for you.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Space and Time…for Me, Myself, and I. It’s time for a SABBATICAL. I’ve spent the almost two decades focusing on being the best of the best in this high performance world of elite sport. I’ve built a career being one of the most innovative, multi-faceted clinicians in the space all whilst still being the best HUMAN BEING I can be, in service to others. Yet in all that advocacy-forward life, I’ve slowly pushed aside the GREATNESS that I’m destined for, one for which the IMPACT it will create would go way beyond sport. But before that can occur, I must first give myself time to find stillness beyond the long weekends and the 10-day holidays and actually REST, RECOVER, and REFLECT. For if I am going to serve as a champion to those who are struggling to find balance, trying their best not to burnout, and believe that it’s possible to thrive in life and have it all, I need to first be the example of the possibility, even if I have become a GHOST for a few months or so to make sure I’m honoring myself.

When will I rise from the metaphorical ashes like a PHOENIX? Only time will tell. All I know is that this next version of me will be the one I was truly placed on this earth for, and the impact I will create will be MASSIVE.

So stay tuned…

TO END

I’m truly grateful to all YOU for taking the time to read this letter dedicated to well…YOU. Although I will be leaving New York for now and likely going to return to my Digital Nomad ways (circa 2012–2014), The Big Apple will always have my heart and my soul, and I shall return here often to make sure I don’t lose it.

I AM WHO I AM TODAY BECAUSE OF ALL OF YOU.

In Gratitude,

Erwin Benedict Valencia