Baseball feature... coming back from cancer

Considering the nature of the story, this was probably the most difficult article I've had to do (yes even worse than that 1-0 girls soccer game ). All thoughts and criticisms are appreciated.

Thanks.

MIRACLE COMEBACK
Marist hurler back in action following cancer surgery

Whenever Marist pitcher Ricky Reyes takes the mound, it's hard not to think about all he's had to overcome.

His struggles have not been those a typical kid faces. In fact, Reyes, 17, has gone through more adversity than most people endure in a lifetime.

Cancer will do that to you.

In October 2006, Reyes was diagnosed with a brain tumor the size of a plum.

"(There were) no symptoms," Reyes said about when he first started to feel ill. "I just felt sick one day out of the blue."

Reyes, who at the time was a sophomore at Ferris High School, was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center after complaining of headaches. When the diagnosis was made, Reyes was immediately taken into surgery. Things would never be the same in the Reyes household, which was rocked by the news.

"I thought I was going to die," Ricky's mother Carmen said. "My whole world just came crashing down. I cried every single day. I didn't want to cry in front of him so I locked myself in the room and then I would bury myself in a pillow since I didn't want him to see me crying or hear me crying. I would just cry, cry, cry. Even today when I talk about it, it makes me cry."

The initial surgery was part of a long six months for Reyes, who had to undergo three separate surgeries and chemotherapy. Despite the effects of the cancer and its treatment - which included gaining weight and breakouts on his face - Ricky tried to stay strong and not let the ordeal bring him down.

"I just tried not to keep my mind on it," Ricky said. "I always kept my mind off of it. I had teammates come down (to the hospital) and keep my mind off of it."

During his stints in the hospital, which set no restrictions on his visitng hours, Reyes had plenty of company. Ferris coach Mike Hogan spent nearly every day at his side. The support extended through hospital visits and fundraisers was so strong, that the family was overwhelmed.

"We got a lot of support," Carmen said. "We were actually speechless at the people that came to help us and be right there to support us. Through prayers or whatever they could have done, we were so grateful."

Even as Ricky was starting to improve, it didn't look like he would be making a return to the diamond. His younger brother Dominic, as well as his friends urged him to return to the game he loves.

"After going through that, I wasn't going to come back, but my teammates and my brother encouraged me to come back and play," said Reyes. "If it wasn't for (Dominic), I wasn't going to play this year. He's the one that inspired me to play again this year."

Dominic, who plays for Marist's junior varsity squad, never stopped pushing.

"I was trying it all to get him to come back," said Dominic. "When he was in the house, I would try to get him to play catch."

Both Dominic and Ricky credit baseball as what has helped strengthen their relationship. It was a bond that got stronger as Dominic was home schooled as a freshman instead of playing for Ferris so he could be with his brother during his recovery.

When he felt well enough, Ricky got back to the field. His father would hit ground balls to him in the park and last summer Ricky started playing summer league baseball.

When the spring came around, Reyes was looking to make the next step and earn a spot on the varsity team. Marist head coach Ron Hayward coached Ricky the summer before he got sick. At first Heywood was reluctant to use the junior right-hander, but was quickly convinced that Reyes belonged.

"I was afraid to play him," Hayward said. "I hesitated on putting him on my roster. The doctors gave me the clearance. They gave me three notes. I made sure because of the fact I know that wasn't something light (that Ricky went through)."

Ricky admits that his fastball isn't quite the same velocity it was before he got sick, but it hasn't stopped him from notching two wins this season as a spot starter for Marist.

Hayward believes that Ricky hasn't changed very much since he got sick less than two years ago. Heywood is particularly amazed by Reyes' positive outlook on and off the field.

"I think he definitely feels blessed that he's here and having fun," Hayward said. "Whatever anyone says, he's not going to let it get him down because he's just thinking about where he was a year ago. He's happy. He's just happy that he's still here and he's able to play the game. That's what he's all about."

 

A nice story. But how about focusing on the brothers relationship and put that up front. The younger brother gave up his freshman year to hang with his bro?
You don't want to give away the happy ending at the start of the story. Athlete comes back from cancer? As a reader, I'm happy for the player but I'm no longer emotionally invested in the story.
The brothers' bond is the story. That stuff is rich.

 

A very valid point. Unfortunately neither brother were especially talkative. I personally felt there wasn't enough information there to make that the central theme. I guess I need to learn when to possibly push a certain issue (in this case their relationship) better during the interview process.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

Solid piece. A few things:

--Things would never be the same in the Reyes household, which was rocked by the news. Get rid of ...which was rocked by the news. Things would never be the same... treads close to cliche territory, but it works here because it's obviously true. But don't add another cliche there. Let the family's quotes tell the reader how their household was rocked by the news.

--you go quote-prose-quote-prose too often. For instance:

"I just tried not to keep my mind on it," Ricky said. "I always kept my mind off of it. I had teammates come down (to the hospital) and keep my mind off of it."

During his stints in the hospital, which set no restrictions on his visitng hours, Reyes had plenty of company. Ferris coach Mike Hogan spent nearly every day at his side. The support extended through hospital visits and fundraisers was so strong, that the family was overwhelmed.

Mentioning no restrictions on his visiting hours is redundant right after that quote. But I liked the detail in your graph more.

I'd also like to know more about why Ricky didn't want to return to baseball as well as the bond between the brothers. Were they close before this? Do they have a lot in common beyond baseball?

This is a good human interest piece, though.

Edit: DanOregon beat me to it re: the brothers.