The baseball field at W.S. Neal High School became a sort of ‘Field of Dreams’ on Friday as the Eagles hosted Cottage Hill for a game.
Prior to the beginning of the second game in East Brewton, four-year-old Owen Nelson entered the diamond decked out in a baseball cap and glove ready to get in on the action.
According to Robbie Grace, coach for the W.S. Neal team, the invitation to throw out the first ball for the game would mark the first “Owen Nelson Day” for the Eagles.
“For those of you that do not know, Owen was born with a congenital heart defect known as Tetralolgy of Fallot and a cranial deformity known as craniosynostosis,” Grace said on Facebook. “Owen had his first open heart surgery at thee months old and a skull surgery at nine months to relieve pressure off his brain and allow his skull to grow at a rate as other children. Owen, just last month had another open heart surgery. He incredibly was released and came home in three days. Now he’s ready to get back on the baseball field. We welcome this courageous young man back to where he loves to be.”
The event had been scheduled for earlier in March but circumstances forced a change in plans.
Owen has been the subject of many conversations during his short time here, but with support from family, friends and an entire community of fellow warriors, Owen continues to thrive despite his health concerns.
He is the son of Amber and Aaron Nelson. His grandparents are Tim and Tammy Gray.