Last week, Miami, South Florida and really Florida as a whole lost its most legendary, beloved and valuable athlete it's ever had.

Dwyane Wade, Illinois born and bred, was drafted by the Miami Heat way back in 2003 and a new chapter in his life began. This wasn't just a new chapter for him, but a new era in South Florida. He was welcomed with open arms, the way I remember it and he embraced us all back; and the relationship between one man and an entire universe of people was off to a fantastic start. The next 13 years of this 21-year-old life would bring him an NBA scoring championship, 12 All star selections and three NBA Finals trophies. Not to mention, a Finals MVP award and several other playing accolades. Let's not forget that time and time again, he's been this magazine or that one's "sexiest basketball player alive" and all that other stuff, coupled with his affinity for fashion and designing shoes.

He's an all around superstar, and he called Miami home. Miami's sports culture, and Dwyane Wade's fame and success were symbiotic in nature. This son of Chicago would one day call himself the Miami Heat's all time leading scorer. Even when pursued by his hometown Chicago Bulls, and many other teams, he turned down their offers to stay in Miami. He wasn't even born in this region, and this became his new home.

All that being said, he was thoroughly underappreciated in Miami. At the very least, by his basic boss, Pat Riley. When it came down to it, Dwyane Wade has either turned down money, or taken less, in order to help his franchise win, and it was almost as if none of that mattered to enough people. He gave his heart and soul for this team, and while we still don't know for sure what made relations between Wade and the Heat go sour, we know that they have, and anyone who has been a fan of the one we call "Flash" (as an ode to his speed) feels bad because of this.

He dealt with the disrespect long enough, of pay-cuts and under-appreciation, and finally decided he'd rather go back to the team he grew up on and dreamed of playing for so many years, and show the other one in Miami that he was hurt. This doesn't feel good for me. He's my favorite athlete of all time, and my favorite sport is baseball, so that's saying something. He's provided me with highlight after highlight of greatness, and years upon years of joy and triumph.

All I have, and all anyone in Miami should have left for Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr., the six foot, four inch shooting guard from Robbins, Illinois is "Thank you."