Harness: Hall of Famer Sam McKee suffers major stroke

(Release on the condition of Sam McKee from The Meadowlands)

As many of you have heard, the longtime Hall of Fame voice of the Meadowlands and director of television, Sam McKee, suffered a major stroke on Thursday. He is out of surgery, but still in critical condition at a New Jersey hospital.

There will be a challenging road ahead for his emotional and physical recovery. Sam will most likely require months of physical rehabilitation.

Many of us have had the privilege to work with Sam since he first came to the Meadowlands in 1998. His knowledge, devotion and love for harness racing is simply unmatched. Anytime he walks into a room, his energy and excitement is infectious. Sam is a tireless worker and gives all of himself to promote his beloved sport. There is no fan, horsemen, or even bettor that has not felt goose bumps while listening to one of Sam’s signature “charging hard” calls as the horses come storming down the Meadowlands stretch.

While Sam has touched and influenced countless people in the industry, his character and reputation stand above all else. He is the most kind, genuine person you could meet and is tremendously generous to all that know him.

The McKee Family would like to invite everyone to continue sharing their thoughts and prayers with Sam. A GoFund Me account has been established to help his family during the long road to recovery. The medical fund can be accessed via this link https://www.gofundme.com/sam-mckees-medical-fund.

While the family continues to appreciate the outpouring of support from so many people, they ask that their privacy be respected during these challenging times. More updates will be provided as necessary.