'The Sandlot' star Marty York reveals how he found inspiration to fight the rage after murder of his sheriff's deputy mother

Actor Marty York is best known for his role as Alan “Yeah-Yeah” McClennan in the coming-of-age sports comedy classic "The Sandlot." However, the child star has endured several tragedies — including the murder of his mother.

York was 12 years old when "The Sandlot" hit theaters in 1993. As a child actor, York made television appearances on "Saved by the Bell," "Boy Meets World," and "Wings."

However, York left Hollywood after he was nearly killed in a violent car accident. He was involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle, which shattered his legs.

York said he "died" at the scene of the car crash and needed to be resuscitated after losing so much blood.

Doctors told Marty's mother that there was a good chance that he would never walk again. York took six months of therapy to learn how to walk again.

During his rehabilitation, he said that he realized that he became "burnt out" of being a Hollywood actor and quit the industry at 17 years old.

Tragedy struck again in 2017 when York's sister died from a drug overdose.

Marty's mother took the death of her daughter hard but wanted to refocus that anguish into something more positive. So at age 64, Deanna Esmaeel trained to be a sheriff's deputy.

York's mother became a deputy with the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Department.

However, York suffered yet another life-altering tragedy in 2023 when his mother was murdered.

In October 2023, Esmaeel's body was found in her home in Crescent City, California.

Authorities immediately zeroed in on her boyfriend as the murder suspect. An arrest warrant was issued and a nationwide manhunt was launched to catch 54-year-old Edward Patrick Davies.

York was stunned by his mother's murder and posted an Instagram post to help find Esmaeel's killer.

"This is the hardest post I'll ever have to write but I found out from the sheriff's department last night that my mother was murdered by a man she was seeing," York wrote. "The emotions I have are horrible right now between rage, vengeance, crying. There is a nationwide manhunt underway, please if you've seen this man contact the authorities immediately!"

A day after Esmaeel was murdered, law enforcement arrested Davies in Curry County, Oregon.

York, 43, was asked how he is dealing with his mother's murder during a recent interview.

"I’m hanging in there as much as I can,” York told Access Hollywood last week. "Just everything. Trying to come back in this business. Trying to deal with my mom’s death and how it happened. It's been difficult."

York explained that he fought off the rage in his mother's murder by recalling how inspirational she was.

"If it wasn’t for my mom, I wouldn’t be in the position that I am in," he explained.

Marty described his mother as a "very inspirational person."

York said he would honor his mother's legacy by "never giving up."

"She was someone who never gave up," he said. "[She] never let anyone tell her because of your age, because of your height, because of anything."

“I really hope that people are inspired," he continued. "I hope that when people feel like giving up through any obstacle, I hope that they can remember my story and be like, ‘Marty didn’t give up when his sister died; he didn’t give up when his mom died. He kept going. He found the strength in himself to do that.’"

Marty concluded, "So I hope people find that in themselves. And just never give up."

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