Inspiration comes in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and sources. For some, it can come from quotations and texts, while others prefer material things like posters and words of encouragement. For me, it came in the form of a six-year-old, 15-pound boy named Josiah Viera.
In a wonderfully sculpted piece, ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi chronicled the incredible journey of Viera for ESPN’s E:60 T.V. show, a journey that spans from the probable agony of defeat to a triumphal rebuttal by one of the most persevering people I’ve ever seen.
Viera was born on May 25, 2004 as a healthy baby boy. In the next two months, he only gained two pounds and left doctors scratching their heads as to why. They finally came to the conclusion that Josiah had Hutchison Guilford Progeria Syndrome, an extremely rare genetic disorder that causes accelerated aging in children that is incurable -meaning that Viera has the body and internal organs of a 60- or 70-year-old. One the rarest diseases on earth, one in four million people have Progeria. Currently, 13 children in the U.S. and 54 people worldwide have the disease.
Given a slim life expectancy of eight to 13 years, Viera suffered from a collapsed lung, chronic infection, pneumonia, and an inability to gain weight as a 16-month-old. He continued to go downhill, and eventually the decision was made to relieve him of his pain and take him off life support.
But Viera miraculously survived the night and awoke the next morning, proving he wasn’t done fighting just yet.
Baseball had always been a source of joy for Viera because he likes to “run the bases.” It is something he can relate to, since baseball is a game measured in innings, not time, much like his own life. Viera lived and breathed baseball, always wanting a family member to come and play with him. But he had never been on a real team or had the opportunity to play in a game because of his condition. Until May 5, that is, when Josiah joined a local little league and fulfilled his dream. He batted and played in the game, just like he had always dreamed, and even got a hit.
Weeks later, Josiah suffered a series of mini-strokes and was temporarily unable to move or speak. In his resilient fashion, though, he recovered and returned to his team three weeks later.
News of this heart-warming story spread like wildfire, and in its last game the White Sox little league team had over one thousand fans in attendance to witness firsthand this 27-inch source of joy and inspiration in action.
It was America’s pastime that gave many people an opportunity to see sports the way they should be played.
Sports are about so much more than winning and losing, touchdowns and home runs, awards and slam dunks. Sports provide a rare platform for people like Josiah Viera, all 27-inches and 15 pounds of him, to feel normal. The six-year-old had his wish come true thanks to a ball, a bat, and a lifetime of perseverance and determination. Stepping onto the Pennsylvania little league field and into the batter’s box fulfilled a lifelong dream for Viera, and he made the most of it. The last thing the youngster had in mind was winning or putting numbers on his stat sheet. He was simply glad for the opportunity.
Forget records, home runs, goals, slam dunks, and outrageous salaries. Viera didn’t play for a single one of those things. He played for something far more important than anything aforementioned.
Joseph Viera played for the love of the game.
