February 4, 2026
Pickleball players occasionally fall during a game and it is usually more embarrassing than painful.
Mayo plays pickleball seven days a week. It’s incredible that he’s able to play at all.
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Timothy Mayo took a fall off the court that was horrific and could have killed him.
It probably saved his life.
On the morning of December 2, 2021, Mayo, then 67, was installing new skylights on the roof of his suburban Tucson home when he lost his balance. He crashed headfirst through one of the skylights, landing 14 feet below on the bathroom floor.
“My last memory was bending over to lift up the largest skylight,” Timothy says.
Rosi called 911 while in pain herself after Timothy landed partially on her foot-
Timothy’s wife of 40 years, Rosi, was in the bathroom brushing her teeth when he crashed down.
“It was an awful noise, glass raining down and Tim hit the vanity as more debris fell,” Rosi said. “When Tim came to rest on our tile floor he was groaning like a wounded animal and bleeding from his head. I put a towel on his head wound and tried to reassure him as I described the accident to the 911 operator. “
Timothy, 6 feet tall and 205 pounds, landed partially on Rosi’s right foot. She was in pain with what would be diagnosed as a hairline fracture, but at that moment she had a severely injured husband she had to help.
“The quote, “God will never give you more than you can handle was challenged,” Rosi said.
Timothy underwent a full body scan at Banner University Medical Center. It revealed a broken back, several broken ribs and a severe concussion.
“I remember waking up in a dark, cold room alone, which looking back seemed like a morgue,” he said. “The pain was substantial. I did not remember the fall or transport. The first individual I remember coming in was a tech from a back brace supplier who measured me for a back brace.”
The body scan showed something unrelated to the fall: Mayo had been living with an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
An AAA is a bulge or ballooning in the aorta, the body’s largest blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Mayo’s aorta was weakened and bulging. If an AAA goes undetected, it can eventually rupture. The recovery rate from a rupture has been estimated as being as low as 5 percent and at best 15 percent.
“The surgeon removed a vein from my leg and replaced the weakened artery section,” Mayo says. “[I had a] 13-inch chest/belly incision. Days after the surgery it was discovered that my intestines were blocked, which forced me back into the hospital.”
A day later Mayo’s heart stopped beating.
“I died walking down the hospital hall after being re-admitted for the intestinal blockage. The renegade blood clot nabbed me as I was walking the hall.
“I am unsure how long I was dead and did not have an out of body experience that I could remember. When I became coherent about 48 hours after dying I was very cranky that my wrists were tied down and that my eyesight was so blurred.”
But he was alive after a potentially deadly aneurysm was found because of a scan taken due to his fall.
“No question the discovery was a life saving blessing,” Timothy says.
He returned to pickleball wearing a back brace and now plays seven days a week. He is a solid 3.5 player.
“Four years ago my wife told me I needed to give pickleball a go and I rejected the thought, commenting that it was an old person’s sport. Not long after putting my foot in my mouth I started playing and was soon after completely hooked,” Mayo says. “I enjoy the competition, the exercise, the opportunity to improve and of course the humor of interaction.”
Timothy turns 72 in May and has been in the real estate business for 44 years. He and Rosi split their time between homes in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and Oro Valley, Arizona. He’s a passionate nature photographer. “I have been blessed to travel the west and Alaska photographing landscapes and wildlife few will ever witness,” he says.
Mayo and Brian Bee recently took silver in a tournament in the mens doubles 3.5 division, 70+ bracket.-
Earlier this month Timothy’s team took silver in a mens doubles 70+ tournament in the 3.5 division. He is quiet on the court, a good doubles partner quick with a smile and a compliment over a good shot. It may sound cliché but it truly is a miracle that he is able to play at all.
“I view my experiences during those two years as remarkable, fortunate and humorous and refer to my roof accident as ‘skylight diving,’ he says. “I don’t believe the events largely affected me or changed me. I was raised in a devout Christian home with optimism, hope and faith which even in dark days always brings me back to the light. I believe God still has a reason for me to be on earth.”
Timothy’s optimistic outlook and sense of humor are apparent in two quotes he attaches to his emails. One says, “Be the reason someone smiles today, or at least the reason they snort-laugh.”
The other says, “Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting.”
Thoughts of the week, not all pickleball
· Anna Leigh Waters’ signing a long-term clothing and sneaker deal with Nike could be huge for pickleball. Sports advertising execs use the term, “The Nike Effect,” which means the company’s entry into a sport is a major seal of approval, instantly elevating the sport’s status. By signing ALW, Nike signaled to the global market that it believes pickleball has passed the “fad” stage. The contract terms were not disclosed. The partnership was announced days after ALW signed a landmark, long-term paddle deal with Franklin, widely reported to be worth up to $10 million. ALW turned pro when she was 12. She turned 19 on January 26th. Happy birthday, indeed.
· I love lists but for a paddle reviewer to say a paddle could be the best of the year two weeks into the year is ridiculous. I get the hyperbole, it’s called clickbait.
· I see a lot of 3.25 and lower players using the $333 Selkirk Boomstick. I like to play against them because I know they will hit a lot of pop ups and deep balls since they can’t control the thing.
· I asked a smart 4.5 player if he thinks there’s such a thing as excessive lobbing in rec play. He said absolutely not, that lobs are part of the game, unless the opponent is an older player with mobility issues. He said instead of complaining about having to retrieve a lot of lobs, players should learn how to return them. I agree. And incidentally, the lob is a low percentage shot. How often at rec play do you see it go long or go low and get smashed back? I know because I have had many of my lobs smashed back at me.
· The coaching job done this past season by Indiana University’s Curt Cignetti is the greatest ever in college football. No team was so bad before winning a championship. In the three seasons prior to Cignetti’s 2023 arrival, the Hoosiers went a combined 9-27. They went 11-2 last year and 16-0 this season. The guy says he enjoys a beer now and then. He will never again have to pay for suds in Indiana.
· Three of the worst organizations in the NFL are the Raiders, Browns and Jets. Las Vegas fired a terrific head coach, Pete Carroll, after just one season, blaming him for the front office’s inability to acquire winning players. Cleveland is suffering long after giving QB Deshaun Watson the worst contract in NFL history: five years, $230 million, fully guaranteed for a guy who’s always injured. The Jets haven’t made the playoffs since 2010. This season they did something that is hard to believe. They did not have one interception all season. Not a single one. First time in NFL history that’s happened.
· I’m on the injured list for 2-4 weeks with a foot issue. I have found that during long periods of no pickleball, a couple of good books and good shows to binge watch can help. Not nearly as fun as playing, but they help.
· Although the Mets traded for Freddy Peralta, I don’t think their starting rotation is deep enough for them to contend. Which I find unfortunate.
· Less than two weeks until pitchers and catchers. I have said this before: If you think baseball is boring I don’t think you understand the game’s nuances, rhythm, strategies and beauty.
If you buy a new Hudef paddle, use my discount code, MS, to get $10 off the Viva Pro Gen 2 or 3 or the Mage Pro Gen 2 for only $99.99.
