Doc Rivers shares emotional tribute to late Celtics executive Heather Walker

Doc Rivers shares emotional tribute to late Celtics exec Heather Walker originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

BOSTON — Heather Walker touched the lives of many during her 17 years with the Boston Celtics — Doc Rivers among them.

Prior to Game 1 of the Celtics’ second-round playoff series with the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden, Rivers ended his press conference with unprompted and tearful remarks about Walker, reflected on she meant to him during their time together in Boston.

“Hey guys, obviously Heather Walker meant a lot to me,” the Sixers head coach told reporters before pausing and tearing up. “Leaving two kids, a husband, and it happened so quick.”

Walker joined the Celtics in 2006 — prior to Rivers’ third season as Boston’s head coach — as the team’s Director of Public Relations. The two would work closely together over the next seven seasons, and Rivers fondly recalled how their relationship grew over the years.

“When Heather first came (to Boston), I didn’t know what to make of her,” Rivers said. “When she first came, she was so strong. And early on we would bump heads. I’d be like, ‘This is how we do this.’ Because I was the old-school PR thought, and she was bringing in the new way. And she was right, I hate to say it. She was just terrific.”

Rivers said he texted Walker about three weeks ago prior to her passing last Wednesday at age 52 due to brain cancer, and that her loss provided him with some perspective.

“I try to tell our guys a lot that we live in a real world sometimes. We really do,” Rivers said. ” … Didn’t mean to get emotional; this was not planned. But there’s just so many people that work that you have a chance to touch, and those people have a chance to touch you.”

“It’s just sad when you lose one so young and so gifted. And really like a lot of people, you don’t ever really get a chance to say thank you. … She was terrific and gone way too early.”

After her diagnosis in 2021, Walker and her family started up the Move 4 Heather charitable effort, which has raised over $700,000 for The Jimmy Fund.