Last month, Brandon Edge got to see the best baseball game of his life. He was on his way traveling from Royal Palm Beach to Miami to see his favorite team, the Miami Marlins playing the MLB Champion Chicago Cubs in Miami.  This was a family affair as he was with his parents Jim & Allison and his seven year old nephew Aiden, who by the way is a Cubs fan as that was his Little League Team. Brandon has been to different major league sporting events and venues including Wrigley Field, but not a Florida Marlins game and not at the beautiful stadium they now have.

Brandon age 26 has Cerebral Palsy and relies on his wheelchair and someone to assist him in many ways to get around every day.  His mom Allison say’s “people just don’t know your journey when you have a child with a disability,  it’s a lot of work to get him ready and dressed, getting him in & out of the car and getting him to where they are going”.  Brandon has been a player in the Sunshine Baseball League in Royal Palm Beach for the past three years and he was the lucky winner of the “Marlins Ticket Giveaway” at the end of year awards ceremony this past April.  The tickets were donated by the Tyler McLellan Foundation and Brandon had his choice of any home game through the season and he chose the Cubs.

They all agreed that the Handicapped Seating they had was great, as all they had to do is wheel Brandon into his spot to watch the game where he had the experience seeing all the his favorite players in person and they also enjoyed the game day menu of hot dogs, cotton candy, and soda.  This was a great family memory and a very special day for Brandon.  They enjoyed it so much; they stayed the whole game until the very last out to watch the Miami Marlins take the win 4-2 over the Cubs.

NOTE: The Sunshine Baseball League is a program offered by the Village of Royal Palm Beach Park & Recreation in which individuals with special needs starting at age 5 and up through adulthood get the chance to come together as a team and be cheered on to greatness.  The Sunshine League is committed to creating an environment that is family-friendly, safe and fun.  The league also stresses the idea of participation over competition.  Every player gets to bat, field and “run” the bases, balls & strikes are not counted. Victories come in the form of achievement and involvement in the game.   

There are three absolute rules…Be safe, have fun, and everyone gets to play ball.