An abnormally normal kid
SALL gets behind 10-year-old with Chiari Malformation
To hear his Little League coach tell it, 10-year-old Yuba City resident Blake Holly is a rarity in the Sutter Area Little League
“He’s one of the few kids you’ll meet in Sutter who doesn’t play football, and he’ll tell you that,” said Brandon Kesterson, coach of the Minor Division (7- to 10year-olds) Knights of the Sutter Area Little League.
“He loves baseball,” his mom Jamie Holly said. “He’s been playing since T-ball. He loves the outdoors, loves playing outside.”
On Monday, Blake Holly was front and center when his Knights beat the Hot Rods, 13-6, batting leadoff, playing first base, drawing two walks and scoring two runs. It was a small example of why Kesterson calls him “a Swiss-Army knife” for his versatility on the diamond.
It was also the last time this summer the youngster will have to show off those skills.
In January, Holly was diagnosed with type 1 Chiari Malformation, the most common and least serious form of cerebellum structural defect – more simply stated, it’s an abnormality in the back of the head where the brain meets the spinal cord.
Today, the Tierra Buena Elementary School fourth-grader is scheduled to undergo surgery at Sacramento’s Sutter General hospital to remove a portion of his skull and the tip of his vertebrae, according to his mother.
“Basically his skull is too small for his brain,” Jamie Holly said. “It’s pushing the back of his brain down to his spinal cord.
“They said that (after surgery)
he will return to being a normal child. Hopefully, he will not have anymore headaches.”
Headaches during the latter portion of last year were the first sign something was wrong with Blake. But Jamie and her husband Justin weren’t initially overly concerned, since migraines run in her family.
When the headaches became a daily occurrence, however, medical attention was needed. An MRI revealed the presence of a cyst and backed-up spinal fluid. By early this year, it was apparent surgery would be necessary.
Last weekend, the SALL took up fundraising efforts for the Hollys. They presented those funds to the family before Monday’s game and made special presentations to Blake as well.
“He’ll get signed baseballs from the two teams (the Knights and Hot Rods),” SALL president Mike Dunham said. “He’ll get our first All-Star hat. We’re going to make him an honorary all-star.”
The Knights have played six SALL games and still have 12 more to go. That Blake will miss all 12 is one of the hardest parts of the ordeal for him, though if all goes as expected, he’ll have a clean bill of health in time for fall ball.
In the meantime, the Hollys will keep things as normal as possible. Blake will miss at least five weeks of school, but a tutor will make home visits so he won’t fall behind in his studies. As for his mood, Jamie said, “the first time I heard him say anything was after his birthday party (on March 31). He said he was scared.”
Mom and dad have been there for Blake to lean on. The community support has helped also.
“People say our son is such a good kid, such an amazing person,” Jamie said. “They say he just thinks of others before himself.
“Apparently, he’s touched people’s lives. All of the support, it’s been amazing.”
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