When I was a kid, baseball was my life.

Growing up in such a stringent religious environment, baseball was that escape for me even at a very young age. Anyone who loves baseball or went to games as a kid knows there is nothing more magical, and nothing you want more than to get a baseball from one of the players. It’s something I wanted more than just about anything.

On a night in old Yankee Stadium against the Texas Rangers, a little known player on the Rangers named Monty Farris threw me a ball during batting practice. I still remember the elation I felt, it stands out as one of the happiest moments of my entire life, there with my Dad, getting a ball.

I am not alone in the sorrow so many of us feel today with the aftermath of the fan who fell at the Rangers/Athletics game due to it hitting so close to home for all of us.. not just sports fans, but the core of life itself. Family, the almost hyper excitement and magic things can be when you are a kid, and how much your parents want to create these moments for you.

When you break down the scenario.. the dad wanting to get a ball for their kid at the ballgame, we’ve all been there. We all know especially now as adults, knowing when you, or if you have a kid, we’d all want to do the same thing. Get a ball, reach for a ball just like this situation, to see it end in tragedy has hit me hard.

There isn’t much else to say despite the pain I find myself feeling. This hits to the core of who we are are people. Family. Excitement. Magic. Imagine what happens to this poor little boy, having to witness this happen to his dad, I can’t even imagine.

In this moment all I can remember is being a little kid, wanting to do anything for a ball.. and it makes this tragedy so close and so personal for myself and so many others writing articles on this today that prompted me to want to write as well.

Life is precious. And I wish horrible events such as this is not the way to remind us all of that fact.

There will be a memorial fund for Shannon Stone, the firefighter and father who passed away. Here is the link to donate

Benny