Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Fans gear up for the first home game
Two profiles in courage from the local area will throw the first pitches in today’s Phillies home opener.
Phillies fans are scheduled to see the first home game of the season launched today at Citizens Bank Park by two profiles in courage with area roots.
Ten-year-old Matthew Paul Collins of the Briarcliffe section of Darby Township and 34-year-old Philadelphia Police Officer Jesse Hartnett, a former East Lansdowne resident, are expected to share the honor of throwing out the first pitch of the home season when the game against the San Diego Padres begins just after 3 p.m.
Phillies Publicity Director John Brazer explained on Friday that the pitches by the two honorees will actually be thrown in succession from just in front of the pitcher’s mound, but the order may not be decided until today.
“Isn’t that fabulous? The Phillies are trying to honor him,” said Philadelphia Police Capt. Robin Wimberly, Hartnett’s commanding officer.
On Jan. 7, Hartnett, a former East Lansdowne police officer, was ambushed by a shooter while he was sitting in his police cruiser in west Philadelphia. His assailant was allegedly 30-year-old Edward Archer of Yeadon who reportedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State when in police custody, although ties to a terrorist group have never been established. Hartnett suffered serious wounds to his left arm. The suspect was treated for minor injuries after being shot in the buttocks by Hartnett as he fled. Hartnett, who deferred to his commanding officer for comment, is still recovering.
“He is right-handed,” noted Wimberly who plans to be among friends and family in attendance at Citizens Bank Park when Hartnett hurls the first ball of the home season this afternoon .
A little more than a month after Hartnett was injured, on Feb. 12, the Collins youth was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del. He was six days shy of his 10th birthday.
“I have some good days and some bad days,” Matt said on Friday afternoon.
He was released from the hospital on March 8 and has since been undergoing several types of chemotherapy each week. A fourth-grader at Our Lady of Angels Regional Catholic School in Ridley Township, Matt is currently doing school work twice a week at home.
“Matt’s spirits are great,” said his mother, Susan DeMarco. “He has such a positive attitude. He never complains. He is going through a lot of things that most adults can’t even handle, all the while keeping a smile on his face.”
The boy’s tenacity is not
unlike that of his fellow home opener pitcher who has endured many surgeries to repair the damage done by the three bullets that ripped through his left arm.
“His spirits are good. He’s a fighter, he is definitely a fighter,” said Wimberly of her injured officer who she noted was solicited for the pitching honor by the Phillies organization.
Matt was actually nominated to throw out the first pitch at the Phillies home opener by Jennifer Kelley, a child life specialist at duPont hospital who helps patients and families cope
with hospitalization.
“We work closely with the medical team to promote normalcy and reduce stress and anxiety,” said the 30 year-old Upper Chichester resident.
She met Matt when he was admitted to the hospital’s hematology/oncology unit after his cancer diagnosis in February.
“Matt was initially here for about a month. When he was first diagnosed, I helped him understand the things that he would experience during his hospitalization. I would spend time with him every few days, bringing him fun things to do, especially video games,” said Kelley.
She also decorated his hospital room for his 10th birthday on Feb. 18.
“We sometimes would just talk while he watched sports on TV and he would tell me all about them,” said Kelley.
It did not take her long to realize that Matt is “a huge sports fan.”
“Matt loves anything that has to do with sports,” said DeMarco who noted that he plays roller hockey, ice hockey and basketball and since age 4, has played teeball and baseball with the Briarcliffe Athletic Association.
After Kelley learned that Matt had been selected by the Phillies to unleash the first ball of the home opener, she gained approval from his mother and then checked with his doctors to see if he would be physically up to the task. Matt got the
good news on March 7, the day before he left the hospital.
On Friday Matt noted that he has been a Phillies fan “my whole life.”
“I have been to a lot of Phillies games with my dad,” said Matt whose father and 22-year-old brother are both named Thomas Collins.
His favorite Phillies team member is centerfielder Odubel Herrera. Matt, himself, is a seasoned Little League pitcher and first baseman. Today his grandparents,
aunts, uncles and cousins are expected to be at Citizens Bank Park to cheer him on.
“Matt was very brave throughout his hospitalization. I really wanted him to know that good things can continue to happen in his life, despite his diagnosis,” said Kelley.
Wimberly also applauded Hartnett’s courage, noting that he is “progressing well” from the gunshot wounds that so severely injured his left arm three months ago.
“It’s been a long road,” noted the police captain. “He’s still on it.”