Tewksbury second-grader Lia DiFronzo fulfilled a dream on Monday August 12th that few adults ever get to experience. As the Boston Red Sox prepared to take on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Lia threw out the first pitch during opening ceremonies!
“It was fun and exciting,” said Lia the next day in a phone interview.
Lia’s adventure at Fenway Park was courtesy of the Jimmy Fund. Lia is battling against a rare form of Leukemia and while in for treatments one day someone from the Jimmy Fund asked if she would like to go to a game, throw the first pitch and meet Tim Wakefield.
Lia’s mother, Laura DiFronzo, said Lia was so excited, and the timing was perfect and it was something that lifted the spirits of the entire family.
DiFronzo, described a whirlwind of activities that started with their arrival at Fenway Park at 4:30 in the afternoon. A Red Sox representative met them and escorted them during their visit.
First they went to the field to see some batting practice. Unfortunately it rained and there was no batting practice, but they visited with Ball Girl Stephanie Maneikis, who is also a Fenway Ambassador, for a few minutes until it was time to go to the clubhouse to meet Tim Wakefield.
DiFronzo said that Wakefield was wonderful with Lia and her brother Rico. He talked to them and allowed them to ask any questions they wanted. When the kids wanted to know how to hold a ball for a knuckle ball pitch Wakefield took the time to show them and explain it to them. He also offered to autograph things for them, posed for some photos, and had hugs for Lia.
As the whirlwind continued the DiFronzos found themselves being interviewed for a Sunday night sports program on NESN. DiFronzo said that while she was a little nervous, the kids did a great job with their interviews.
They had just enough time to go up to the Green Monster seats to take a look around the park before they had to be back on the field for the 6:30 pre-game activities. Soon it was time for Lia’s first pitch. She went out the mound alone, independent, as she wanted it, and threw that first pitch. Her mom said that “Being there [Fenway] is always exciting, but this was just…” …and there just weren’t words to describe her emotion!
After the opening ceremonies, Lia and her family went up to their seats in the grandstand where Lia was able to stay for the entire game to see her Red Sox beat the Devil Rays by a score of 3 – 0.
Lia is battling a rare form of Leukemia that was first diagnosed in spring of 2006 during a routine physical exam. She endured heavy doses of chemotherapy that put her into remission and allowed her to receive a bone marrow transplant from her brother, Rico, last August. Lia relapsed again in November. Doctors are now trying to get her back into remission so she is eligible for another bone marrow transplant.
In her CarePages.com online journal, Laura DiFronzo writes about the family’s medical ups and downs and experiences in daily life. Family and friends follow along through the entries and the community support has been overwhelming and wonderful.
In anticipation of Lia’s big day at Fenway, DiFronzo wrote [quoted with her permission], “She [Lia] still continues to be positive and full of life. After she was asked about the Red Sox game she looks at me and says" see mom, its not all that bad being sick! I get to do all this fun stuff." She really needed this right now and so did we all, a good pick me up for all of us.”
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