http://tinyurl.com/5tcele9
Ten-year-old baseball player Michael Warley could find little to be
enthusiastic about when he suffered ligament damage to his right elbow in
mid-July. But over the course of the past six months, Warley has learned the
age-old lesson that dark clouds have a way of containing a silver lining.
On July 12, Warley was practicing with his Atlee All-Star teammates as they
prepared for the Little League 9-10 Year Old State Tournament. Though not a
regular in the pitching rotation, the Atlee coaches decided the team needed
more depth on the mound if they were to advance. Therefore, Warley, who
normally played left field, was undergoing a short workout as pitcher.
After a few pitches, Warley turned to pitching coach Mike Goleski to say
that his arm felt funny. Because Warley was on his 16th pitch of a 20 pitch
practice, Goleski and Michael’s father Stephen agreed it was safe for him to
finish out his final throws.
On Warley’s 17th pitch something in his elbow made an audible pop. “Coach
Goleski thought it was something like hitting his glove on his side,”
Stephen said. “Nobody else heard it but he (Michael) went down on one knee
and he was just screaming.”
Michael was not screaming in pain but rather frustration. “I was mostly
mad and shocked that I got hurt,” he said.
“It broke my heart,” Stephen said. “He kept screaming, ‘No! I don’t
want to be hurt. I want to play’.”
Michaels’ doctor diagnosed that he had suffered an ulnar collateral
ligament tear, but because of his age surgery was not required and he would
instead go through prescribed core-building muscle exercises and rehab
therapy. However, it did mean Michael would not be able to play baseball
again that season.
“I think when Michael got hurt, any one of us would have taken his pain
because he was so excited to be on that team and do so well,” Stephen said.
Michael traveled with his Atlee team to Abington and watched them win the
Virginia State Championship. But because he was undergoing rehab, Michael did
not travel the Southeast Regional and the Tournament of State Champions in
Huntington West Virginia, where his team finished third in the eight state
event.
The absence from baseball was especially troubling for Michael because he
is such a big fan.
As a toddler, Michael crawled around the Warley’s home with a baseball
glove and batter’s helmet.
More recently, the die-hard Yankee fan woke his parents after suffering a
baseball nightmare.
“He was in his bed and he was screaming,” said his mother Terrianne.
When Stephen asked what the terrifying nightmare was about, Michael’s
answer was simple. “I was pitching for the Red Sox.”
As Michael underwent stretches and exercises to strengthen his core
muscles, he was also suffering from the disbelief, confusion and anger
associated with being unable to play. But then he came across news of someone
suffering in a similar fashion; Washington Nationals rookie sensation Stephen
Strasburg, whose season ended in August with a ligament tear.
As Michael’s father read the newspaper story detailing Strasburg’s
emotions upon learning he would require Tommy John surgery in September,
Michael found a connection.
“That’s the way I felt,” Michael said.
Because Michael expressed the same emotions as Strasburg his parents
suggested he write to the young Major-Leaguer.
At the end of August, before returning to school at New Hanover Christian,
Michael mailed a get-well card to Strasburg care of the Washington Nationals
, detailing how he was dealing with the injury and what he was doing to
rehab. Michael did not expect anything more than a reply in return.
When nothing came through the month of September the Warleys assumed Michael
’s letter was simply lost in the shuffle. But then at the beginning of
October their son received a package in the mail.
Michael was stunned when he saw the Washington Nationals logo. “He was
frozen,” Terrianne said. “He couldn’t do anything. He was just like….mom?
”
When Michael finally mustered the courage to open the package he found a
Stephen Strasburg autographed baseball, but of more meaning was the enclosed
letter from Harolyn Cardozo, Assistant to the General Manager of the
Washington Nationals.
Because Strasburg was still unable to write well following surgery, Cardozo
typed a reply on the player’s behalf. The letter thanked Michael for his
card, wishing him a speedy recovery as well and indicated that the baseball
was sent as Strasburg’s get well token to Warley.
With appreciation, Michael penned a follow-up letter to Strasburg, thanking
him for the baseball and included photos of his rehab therapy.
It was around Thanksgiving that an even bigger package arrived at the
Warley household, with a return address of San Diego, California.
Terrianne along with Michael’s older sisters Amanda and Anna could not
wait to see his expression so they took the two-pound package, hopped in
their truck and went to pick him up at school.
Once again Michael was shocked. “I was frozen even more,” he said. “It
made me scream.”
Inside Michael found a Stephen Strasburg autographed game jersey and a
hand-penned letter from the player himself.
“I had to read the letter to him,” his sister Anna said.
Strasburg thanked Michael for his letter but added a personal note. “So
many times the mail I get is from people asking for something in return. It
was great to finally read a note from a true fan like yourself. You are a
tremendous young man and are destined for greatness!”
Furthermore, Strasburg asked that Michael keep in touch and gave him his
personal email address.
“Stephen is a class act,” Terrianne said. “He really is.”
But the surprises for the Warley’s were not yet over.
While online two weeks ago, Stephen Warley came across a Washington Post
article written by Adam Kilgore describing Strasburg’s work toward
rehabilitation. As he continued to read, Warley nearly fell out of his chair.
Near the end of the article, Strasburg talked about the support he received
in the form of prayers and rehab advice he’d gotten from a young man in
Mechanicsville, Va.
Recently the Warley’s sent off another letter to Strasburg. Enclosed were
photos of Michael draped to his ankles in Strasburg’s jersey and a Christmas
ornament from the Warley’s hometown, which was ironically enough
Cooperstown. On the back was written; “You are in my Hall of Fame already.”
On Dec. 22, Michael completed his rehab, better conditioned and stronger
than he was before the injury. He also came away with an established
understanding that there are positives in every bad experience.
“Even though (the injury) happened, we all look at this as a blessing,”
his father said. “Now he’s got a very strong core for when he gets older.
This could have happened in high school and been devastating.”
This summer Michael plans to go watch Strasburg pitch in person for the
first time. He then has baseball plans of his own.
Michael, along with his Atlee All-Star teammates have their future sites
set on Williamsport and the Little League World Series, where Michael hopes
Strasburg will have a chance to see him play.