Someone sent me this email today and I thought it worth passing along...

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students
delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who
attended. After extolling the school and its

dedicated staff, he offered a question:

'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything
nature does, is done with perfection.

Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do.
He cannot understand things as other children do.

Where is the natural order of things in my son?'

The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like Shay,
who was mentally and physically disabled comes into the
world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents
itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that
child.'

Then he told the following story:

Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew
were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let
me play?' I knew that most of the boys would not want someone
like Shay on their team, but as a father I also
understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give
him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to
be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not
expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for
guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is
in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll
try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.'

Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad
smile, put on a team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my
eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son
being accepted.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few
runs but was still behind by three.

In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and
played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way,
he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the
field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the
stands.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again.

Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential
winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at
bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their
chance to win the game?

Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a
hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how
to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.


However, as Shay stepped up to the

plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was
putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved
in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at
least make contact.

The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed.

The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball
softly towards Shay.

As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow
ground ball right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over.

The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily
thrown the ball to the first baseman.

Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of
the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first
baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates.

Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling,
'Shay, run to first!

Run to first!'

Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it
to first base.

He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.


Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!'

Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second,
gleaming and struggling to make it to the base.

B y the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right
fielder had the ball . the smallest guy on their team who now
had his first chance to be the hero for his team.

He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the
tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too,
intentionally threw the ball high and far over the
third-baseman's head.

Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead
of him circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay'

Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to
help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and
shouted, 'Run to third!

Shay, run to third!'

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators,
were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!'

Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as
the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team

'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling
down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece
of true love and humanity into this world'.

Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter,
having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy,
and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her
little hero of the day!