TAMPA, Fla. — 11-year-old Noah Riley is a huge Yankees fan, but not even he could've dreamed about what he’d be able to due Tuesday afternoon.
“I would not believe it,” he said with astonishment after making his way onto Steinbrenner Field.
Noah battles a rare degenerative disease called Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. With the help of the Tampa Bay-based nonprofit Wheelchairs 4 Kids and Rooms To Go Furniture, Riley got the chance to throw out the first pitch before the Yankees' home game against the Red Sox.
“That's one of the things that we really focus on. Showing our kids that they can do so much more than they ever dreamed,” said Wheelchairs 4 Kids Executive Director Madeline Robinson.
Noah was diagnosed with DMD at four years old. His father, Steve, says little things like being included in everyday activities make a big difference in the lives of children with special needs.
“You don't realize what it does for them. They don't get to do birthday parties and things that normal kids do,” Steve said while holding back tears. “To be included? It hits us more than it does him.”
Well, no one’s getting any hits off of Noah. He’s added an old-school pitch known as a palm ball to his arsenal. He’s battling his disease head-on. He wows his doctors—and everyone around him—by staying physically active, riding a therapy trike, playing in a baseball league near his St. Cloud, FL, home, and practicing for his first pitch.
“I’ve been practicing for a couple of weeks,” Noah said matter-of-factly. “Throwing the ball the farthest I can. Every day I've been throwing it like five times. I've been working on the palmball.”
Staying active is just one way Noah and his friends are like other kids. Wheelchairs 4 Kids offers countless programs and resources for children with special needs and their families, from helping with new adaptive equipment to outdoor activities and ski trips and just about everything in between.
“Inclusion is so important. Self-esteem is so important,” Robinson added. “It's really important for us to have a community and for them to realize that they can do things- just in a different way.”
“All of us at Rooms To Go are very happy about this opportunity for Noah and for Wheelchairs 4 Kids,” Rooms To Go executive Ed Rubin said. “We’re thrilled to be a part of it.”
Steve coaches Noah in their own baseball league, and he says inclusion sets the groundwork for positivity moving forward.
“It builds their confidence so much because they see people rooting for them,” he beamed. “Just to be out there with all them every Saturday to play. He loves that.”
Noah threw a perfect palm ball to get the game started, but he’s quick to say that his favorite Yankees player is the one who electrifies the crowd with his hitting.
“Aaron Judge,” he said with a smile. “Judge all the way.”
“We’re ready for our visitors.”
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