‘We went through life together, Miami’: Chris Bosh writes letter to thank community

Five days after his Miami Heat career officially ended, future Hall of Fame forward Chris Bosh published a letter on his website and took out a full-page advertisement in Sunday’s Miami Herald to thank his family and the South Florida community for the last seven years.

“My wife and kids have been so strong for me in moments when I was not,” Bosh writes. “My wife has picked me up off the ground more times than you know and I’m thankful to have such a great support system. She’s a lot like you, Miami — nice and mellow with that special touch of Latin passion and fire.”

Bosh wrote of dealing with not only the illness, but the 2011 NBA Finals loss to Dallas, which left the Dallas native “reluctant to go out in public.”

“We went through life together, Miami,” he writes. “You showed me how to stay strong and push through in the toughest moments. And, although I didn’t like it, it made the difference in the long run. It made me a better man, the person I am today. Thank you.”

Bosh also mentioned his newfound Spanish skills...

“Learning how to order a cafe con leche o ropa vieja on Calle Ocho has become natural to me. That’s amazing!”

...and his appreciation for Miami-style expressions of happiness.

“It felt so good to share that championship feeling with you. While we grabbed the trophy, you grabbed your pots and pans and celebrated like no one else in the world can.”

Bosh hasn’t played since a recurrence of life-threatening blood clot problems in February, 2016 halted a career highlighted by coming to the Heat in 2010 with LeBron James to join Heat superstar Dwyane Wade.

While James’ return to Cleveland during the 2014 offseason chopped the Heat’s Big Three era off at four years, four Finals appearances and two NBA titles, many Heat followers felt the era’s vibe didn’t really dissipate until the discovery of Bosh’s blood clot issues after the 2015 All-Star Weekend.

This story was originally published July 9, 2017 at 10:06 AM with the headline "‘We went through life together, Miami’: Chris Bosh writes letter to thank community."