-
- Surprise visit: After spending part of the morning in the playroom on the pediatric floor at Mission Children’s Hospital, Asheville Tourist baseball players visited children in their hospital rooms.
-
- Instant connection: Two players, pitcher Parker Geoff and outfielder David Kandilas, ventured down to the pediatric intensive care unit. When Kandilas visited a boy named Trent, Trent did not let go of his hand because Kandilas resembled his brother.
-
- All smiles: Four Asheville Tourists pose for a picture with two kids at Mission Children’s Hospital. The players spent the morning playing games with them in the playroom.
-
- Bubble play: Pitcher Kenny Roberts holds the bubble wand for Kanyus Atkins. In addition to blowing bubbles, Kanyus also played a game of catch with Roberts.
Eight-year-old Cody Cuthbert sat a little taller in his hospital bed when he saw two baseball players walking down the hallway. They weren’t the usual doctors, nurses and aides he sees every day.
"He's been excited all morning,” said his mother Jessica Witzigman. “When they told us they were coming, it really gave him something to look forward to." And after spending five days in the pediatric intensive care unit at Mission Children's Hospital, Cody wanted to talk about baseball instead of his case of walking pneumonia.
"I'm a good hitter, and I'm a good thrower," Cody bragged to pitcher Geoff Parker and outfielder David Kandilas.
Cody was just one of the children visited by members of Asheville's minor league ball club, the Tourists, along with mascot Ted E Tourist on May 29 at Mission Children's Hospital. Six players took a break from playing catch on the diamond to talk, play and autograph backpacks in the pediatric unit and ICU.
"I don't know who's more excited — them or us," pitcher Russell Brewer said.
For Kandilas, the kids were the ones giving back. "I think it reinforces how truly blessed we are to do something that we love and play baseball for a living," he said. "To see these kids smile even when they're struggling, it's priceless."
On average, Mission Children's Hospital admits 1,600 patients to its pediatric inpatient units. As Child Life Manager Tara Lynch explained, a visit from the baseball players provided its own unique healing for the kids and their families. "It was a moment to escape the worry of illness and hospitalization," Lynch said. "The Tourists visit helped to energize and engage the children and families, because it encouraged a sense of fun despite whatever the medical challenges the families may have been going through at the time."
For Cody, the 10-minute visit gave him a more than an autographed book bag. "When [Parker] was telling me about the baseball game," he said as a big smile spread across his face, "That's what I liked best."
— Caitlin Byrd can be reached at 251-1333, ext. 140, or at cbyrd@mountainx.com.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.