News Summary

WEST CHESTER TWP. — The Cincinnati Reds' win against the Chicago Cubs Monday — complete with a Ken Griffey Jr. home run — was not the biggest comeback on display at Great American Ball Park that day.

While Griffey came back from an injury, Tyler Weismann had been in a coma. So when the West Chester Twp. 9-year-old threw out the ceremonial first pitch, it marked an inspiring turnaround.

Tyler spent a month in the intensive care unit at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, part of that time in a coma as his body fought off septic shock caused by a severe streptococcus A infection.

The fingers of his right hand – his throwing and writing hand – were amputated, along with a portion of his left index finger and part of several toes.

By early May, Tyler was out of danger physically, but quickly getting bored in the hospital. So he taught himself to write left handed.

His mother, Jennifer, remembered when he began to bounce back.

"He asked for a journal and pen," she said, "and he started doing it left-handed — he just started drawing ... and eventually went to writing ... he did it all on his own and I'm just like, 'wow.'"

Now, Tyler writes in careful grade-school cursive, and has been throwing things to strengthen his arm since his doctor cleared him to do so. "When I go in," he said of his weekly physical therapy visits to Drake Hospital, "I get to throw a ball at anyone I want to."

Widmer Dry Cleaners donated three first pitches to Make-A-Wish Foundation, and Tyler was selected to make the season's final ceremonial

pitch.

"I asked for the latest date possible," says Mark Weismann, Tyler's father. "I didn't even think we'd be this far (in his recovery)."

But amazingly – miraculously, according to some staff members at Children's Hospital – Tyler has made the long journey from ICU bed to pitcher's mound in just five months.

Tyler took a deep breath Monday and, as his father held his cane and Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips looked on, he hurled an arcing throw that bounced twice before rolling into the catcher's mitt.

As Tyler exited the field, his impact on those around him was evident. Several Reds wore black bracelets with his sports jersey numbers and the words "Tyler's fight" and "Thank you for your prayers" inscribed on them. Students and teachers from Woodland Elementary attended to see their classmate, as did doctors and nurses from Children's Hospital.

His mother's eyes filled with tears as they made their way to their seats, and his father's voice took on a tone of awe.

"My mind flashed with all different things," he said. "I can remember watching games with him, thinking 'we're never going to go to a game again.' It made it all the more special."

Once he was out of the spotlight, though, the real miracle occurred. The child with the cane and bandaged legs transformed into a perfectly normal 9-year-old boy. Raising his scarred right hand, he cracked his favorite new joke.

"If you're hungry, never eat your fingers," he deadpanned, "'cause it hurts."