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In April, the Boston Celtics and the community mourned the loss of longtime PR executive Heather Walker who died from a rare form of brain cancer. She was just 52 years old.
A beloved member of the community, Walker worked with the Celtics organization for 17 years, and most recently held the title Vice President of Public Relations. The Celtics honored her legacy on Monday by renaming their media workroom as the Heather Walker Media Center.
The #Celtics have named their media center at their practice facility after the late Heather Walker, who was much more than an outstanding PR person but a great friend. Couldn’t be a more appropriate gesture by the Celtics. pic.twitter.com/n7DfTGkKZQ
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) November 13, 2023
After practice Monday afternoon, Jaylen Brown spoke on Heather’s legacy, and what she meant to him and the organization.
“Heather Walker meant everything,” said Brown. “She was the person I worked with a lot early on in my career, with media stuff and everything that I was doing off the court, in the community. Outside of basketball, Heather was handling a lot of that stuff early in my career. Now that she’s no longer with us, it’s extremely sad.”
According to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe, the “HW” emblem which has been displayed on players t-shirts when she passed, will be attached to a window in the center. Additionally, there is a collection of pictures displayed on the wall that highlight her time with the organization.
“For her [Walker] to get a media center here in the building named after her, it’s a great way for her, her legacy, and her family to be able to be proud about something. Heather was one of my first introductions to Boston, one of the first people I’d met. It was definitiely sad to hear the news she was no longer with us.”
For Brown who is very active in the community and his social justice initiatives, support on the court is just as important off the court.
“She was just there with me every step of the way,” Brown continued. “All of the schools that I visited, community centers. It’s great to see that in her honor and in her memory that we named the media center after her.”
Shortly after her diagnosis, Walker started the Move 4 Heather campaign, which was created to help the lives of others and spread awareness. Hired in 2006 by the Celtics, she will be forever membered by the organization, the city, and the players.
To donate to her fundraiser, please visit the Move 4 Heather fundraiser.
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