Scottish Rite for Children welcomed Frisco RoughRiders players Jonathan Brand, Marcus Lee Sang, Zach Bryant and Cole Stasio, along with mascot Deuce, for a day of play that brought baseball, laughter and meaningful connections to patients receiving orthopedic care.
Patients joined the players Thursday for wiffle ball, T-ball and a bracelet-making activity in the hospital atrium at the Dallas campus. After creating the bracelets together, the players and children exchanged them, with the RoughRiders planning to wear their new bracelets as they take the field ahead of Thursday night’s game. The team also signed baseballs, handed out wiffle ball sets, jerseys and foam fingers and coached young patients as they took their turn at bat.
Among them was 4-year-old Kase, who underwent surgery just one day earlier. Batting from his wheelchair with encouragement from the RoughRiders, Kase flashed a wide smile after connecting with the ball, one of many memorable moments throughout the afternoon.
The visit continued in the inpatient unit, where the players and Deuce spent time with children recovering from surgery, signing jerseys, sharing laughs and bringing the excitement of game day into their hospital rooms.
“Whether they were helping a child swing a bat, exchanging bracelets or simply sharing a conversation, the RoughRiders created moments our patients will remember long after today,” said Ashley Givens, Vice President of Development and Special Events. “These experiences remind children that an entire community is behind them as they recover.”
