:)
(A million days lateee) You’re welcome! Have a tremendous day!
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Meeting Margarito Soto (III)
August 12, 2011
My sister’s 16u team was in Panama City Beach, Florida for the week of July 16-22 for the USFA World Series. They were eliminated early, but our family along with the other softball families hung out and stayed the rest of the week, and the girls did some team bonding. It was Thursday, July 21, 2011, and it was our last night in PCB. One of the coaches invited all the girls to the rental house he, his family, and their extended family were renting so we could eat burgers, hot dogs, and nachos- the basic necessities at a softball function.
I was sitting in the living room when I heard them. My mom was talking to a little boy about baseball. Being the fanatic I am, I went to join the conversation. Turns out, this 10 year old kid, the cousin of one of the girls I am now coaching, is a seam head.
We talk about how he loves (and plays) baseball, and how his favorite team is the Texas Rangers (of course being from DFW and 10 years of age, the Rangers are all you know) and how Josh Hamilton is his favorite player. He tells me he has only been to one game, and I tell him, “Well when we get back to Texas, you gotta give me your number, so we can make that two.”
I get on my smart phone, and go to my Facebook page. I show him pictures I have of some baseball games I’ve been lucky enough to attend, pictures of Rangers players signing our things, a picture at the Rangers/Yankees game where we met Jesse Metcalf (Actor: John Tucker Must Die, Desperate Housewives), The Florida series and pictures of Jose Ceda (Pitcher: Florida Marlins), Jack Mckeon (Future HOF Manager), Kurt Suzuki (Catcher: Oakland A’s) signing my glove, a picture of Josh Hamilton (Outfielder: Texas Rangers) signing my Beyond Belief book after waiting two hours at Fan Fest, and my latest AND FAVORITE picture up to date: a picture of me with Oakland A’s pitcher Gio Gonzalez.
“You know him?!?!” Margarito asked. I replied, “No, I don’t know Gio, but I’ve been lucky enough to get his autograph and take a picture with him twice. He’s one of the nicest professional players you will ever meet when you get the chance though.” Margarito’s eyes lit up. It made me smile. I came to the realization that I finally met someone who loved baseball just as much as I did, and I vowed to myself I would take him to a game. Unfortunately, those plans have been put on hold indefinitely.
My family left for the road back to Texas the following day, and the Soto family left on Saturday, July 23, 2011.
On the way back, they suffered a tire blowout in Louisiana, and the SUV they were traveling in flipped. Margarito Soto, this little boy who I had just met two days prior, was ejected from the SUV, and although the rest of his family was not severely injured, Margarito was. Though I still don’t know what the extent of his injuries that day were, I know he was taken to a hospital in Louisiana on a helicopter, and had to have emergency surgeries. At the end of the first week in August, he was stable enough to be transferred from Louisiana back home to Dallas, but was kept in the Children’s Hospital’s ICU wing and was heavily sedated to keep him from being in pain. I went to visit him on Tuesday, August 9, 2011, and almost cried on sight. Margarito had to have a metal rod inserted into his right thigh to help the broken bone in that region of the leg, and has had to have both of his calf muscles cut and operated on. He had 8 staples on the right side of his head, and has scrapes all over his thighs, legs, arms, and head. Although when going to see him, I thought he looked “bad” as in hurt, in pain, bad in health, his father assured us that he is doing better.
Margarito was released from the hospital into the care of a rehab facility, and later, on the same day as the Texas Rangers ALDS game 1 was released from rehab into his own home. Altogether I believe he has had around 8 or nine surgeries up to date. The latest was on the metal rod that was in his thigh, to get it replaced, because the first one snapped.
All I ask of the people I send this letter to, is something in return for a kid who will more than likely never get to play baseball again. Whether it be a signed ball, a signed picture, a t-shirt, or a hand made get well soon card- I want Margarito Soto to know that people in baseball love him as much as he loves them. I’ve reached out to personal friends that play for minor league teams, who have agreed to help, but I want more people- an out pour of support and get wells for a child who’s dream was nothing more than to go to a baseball game, and sit in the bottom bowl for three hours. I want him to feel like he’s THAT special when he wakes up and gets to stay awake- when he’s not heavily medicated, and not in pain anymore. I want him to wake up, and for the rest of his life know that these people, and players at one point in time, held him in their hearts, sent him hellos, and wished for him to get well. I want to get an epidemic going!
Because in the end, baseball really does bring people together.
-Amanda Martinez
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Please meet Landon.. his dad Marine LCPL Carpenter made the ultimate sacrifice while serving with the 3/8 in Afghanistan earlier this year.. a month before his son was born. Never forget the price of freedom.
I don’t care what kind of blog I am, or what kind of blog you are, I saw this and it broke my heart, a little boy who will never get to meet his daddy, and daddy who never had the joy and honor of holding his child because he gave his life to keep all of us safe.
:)
I don’t like Dorrough’s other music much… But I love this song, and this kid is CUTE!!
It Gets Better - featuring the Seattle Mariners, Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Storm and SoundersFC.
Good job, Mariners.
Sexy ass NJC- Si Tu Supieras
Don’t tell me you don’t like the sound of his voice.
Do not try to resist him!!!
I LOVE BACHATA MUSIC!
