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What a catch: Tek's 33s takes patients to Fenway Park
Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek welcomed 10 Children's Hospital Boston patients to Fenway Park for an afternoon game against the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday, July 22. For many, it was an experience beyond their wildest dreams as they sat waiting for Varitek in the shade of the Red Sox dugout. Many had waited months to meet the player who invited them to be his special guests, so jaws dropped and voices hushed when their host walked over from the batting area to greet them.
"He's so nice to do this," said patient Brooke Coley's mother, Ellen, as she watched Varitek greet the children one by one and then meet them at eye level for a quick conversation.
The game was the third of five under a program called Tek's 33s, which Varitek and his wife, Karen, started earlier this season in the hopes of giving children the experience of a lifetime. In addition to buying 20 tickets to each of five home games for patients and their families, the Sox backstop gives each child a red Varitek T-shirt, invites them onto the field to watch batting practice and spends time talking with the young fans, taking photos and signing autographs. The Vartieks also have visited the hospital regularly since the beginning of the season, making trips to many of the inpatient floors, where their presence has brought excitement to patients, families and staff alike. Named after Varitek's uniform number, Tek's 33s has been a smashing success so far, with two games and several more visits yet to come.
The opportunity to meet a Red Sox player and be within 20 feet of Varitek and his teammates taking batting practice can be a bit overwhelming. Ani Whiting, the son of Paul and June Whiting, was one of several patients who made his first trip to Fenway Park at the July 22 game. "I am really excited!" said Ani, while he was waiting for batting practice to begin. Weeks before the game, Ani's mother, June, said, "He was beside himself with glee." Ani is a huge baseball fan and is convinced that he would be a great a baseball player, as his birth parents are from the Dominican Republic, which is known for producing excellent baseball talent.
The 11-year-old has spent a considerable amount of time at CHB. He had a heart transplant six and a half years ago and has had several complications, including the development of Crohn's disease and Type I diabetes, but recently has been doing well. Last summer the Whitings planned to go to a Red Sox game, but couldn't make it because of Ani's health. "This summer he is doing very well, so this is a wonderful opportunity," June said.
The game was also a first for 26-year-old patient Adrienne Clement. She was recovering from hip surgery in May when Jason and Karen Varitek stopped by her room on one of their visits. Adrienne, who lives in Washington, D.C., told them how much she enjoyed touring Fenway Park while she was in town for her pre-op visit, but that she had never attended a game. She was the oldest of the 10 patients at the Tek's 33s game on July 22. "Jason Varitek is so generous, and I feel that he's especially generous since I'm not a kid!" said Adrienne.
Despite the heat and the 8-3 loss for the Red Sox, the children were still in good spirits after the game. "That was really awesome! Thanks!" said patient Nolan Houlihan. On the shuttle ride from the game, Ani announced that he was already planning to write a thank you note about the day.
During a visit to CHB last month, Jason Varitek told FOX 25 News, "The biggest part of what we're doing is trying to get some of these kids to come out to a game, get a T-shirt, a coke and a hotdog, come get some autographs, come early, just enjoy the game, maybe put a smile on their face and allow them to be normal again."
