A very special day for my nephew.

[channy3232]

My nephew Dylan is 9 and has Aspergers. He plays on a baseball team for mentally and physically challenged kids called the Challengers. It's affiliated with the town's "regular" kids baseball league. Every year during one of the games, the "regular" league goes around to the four baseball fields and cheers on the Challengers. I wasn't there for it last year, but we just happened to go today. I heard my sister say "here they come!" I looked out in the field and there were about 100 kids and parents walking towards his baseball game. They held up signs, they chanted the kids' names, and after the game, they gave them all high fives and asked for their autographs. I cried the entire time. (I'm crying right now typing this. I'm such a baby lol) It was amazing. Not only was it special for these kids to see their peers give them encouragement, but also I think it was a good lesson to the other kids also to know we're all alike and shouldn't be treated differently because of a disability.
There were several local news channels there and they did really nice stories. Here is an article on one of their websites
https://www.abc27.com/story/1484273...al-needs-baseball-players-superstar-treatment

 

[Eala]

Aww that's absolutely fab Great that it got news coverage too - must make a nice change from the doom and gloom that seems to make up the majority of news stories these days!

 

[channy3232]

It really was. The reporter who did the story said on the news tonight it was the most memorable story he's ever covered in his career. I saw him there and could tell he was very touched by it all

 

[DanielleM]

Ah that is so lovely!! I wish something like that happened in the UK!! xx

 

[channy3232]

Maybe suggest it to the local sports teams! It's really neat. They take kids from 5-21. The parents stay on the field with them if they need to. Their coach pitches the ball to them and he does so until they hit it. They always score a homerun so the score of the game is always the same and they always tie. It's such great thing

 

[WANBMUM]

awwww Well done Dylan

 

[odd_socks]

thats great, well done dylan

 

[Tegans Mama]

Ah that is so lovely!! I wish something like that happened in the UK!! xx

It does!

There are a LOT of disabled sports in the UK. My daughter is starting wheelchair basketball when she is three. The team she is training with has quite a few members who won gold in the paralympics. Her OT is already saying she has high hopes for her - she isn't three yet and she already has amazing control and ability in her wheelchair


Well done to your nephew! It must have been lovely to see

 

[channy3232]

Ah that is so lovely!! I wish something like that happened in the UK!! xx

It does!

There are a LOT of disabled sports in the UK. My daughter is starting wheelchair basketball when she is three. The team she is training with has quite a few members who won gold in the paralympics. Her OT is already saying she has high hopes for her - she isn't three yet and she already has amazing control and ability in her wheelchair


Well done to your nephew! It must have been lovely to see

It was very heartwarming to watch. That's great that your daughter is going to play basketball! I'm sure she'll have a great time!!

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Yey thats amazing. Well done xx

 

[twinkle1975]

Aww that's fantastic!

 

[cleckner04]

That brought a tear to my eye too. What a fantastic thing!