Stayner man to throw 1st pitch at Blue Jays game
Raymond Hardisty thought he was showing up for a normal work shift at Dairy Queen in Stayner.
Boy, was he was wrong.
Hardisty received quite the surprise courtesy of Dairy Queen and the Toronto Blue Jays. Ace, the team mascot, was on hand to let Hardisty know he had a call from Blue Jays broadcaster Buck Martinez.
Martinez called to tell Hardisty that he would be throwing out the first pitch at the Rogers Centre on Aug. 8 in celebration of Miracle Treat Day.
“I think that’s awesome,” Martinez said. “You’ll also go behind the scenes and we’re going to take you out on the field to watch the Blue Jays take batting practice.”
Hardisty has a deep connection with Miracle Treat Day at the Hospital for Sick Children.
He was diagnosed with leukemia at age four, received a bone-marrow transplant and was diagnosed with graft versus host disease.
Hardisty was a Miracle Treat Day champion child in 2000 and has raised $30,000 for the Children’s Miracle Network. Miracle Treat Day takes place on Aug. 9 and sees a portion of every Blizzard treat sold go to the Children’s Miracle Network.
“Every kid deserves to live a full life,” he said. “It’s a shame when a kid is born and they’re sick. They shouldn’t have to live the first few years of their life in a hospital bed.”
Hardisty also received a Blue Jays jersey with his name on it as well as a new ball glove.
He said he’s always been a Blue Jays fan and said it’s “unbelievable” that he will be throwing out the first pitch.
“I’ve been a Blue Jays ever since I was a little kid,” he said. “Even when I came home from the hospital, for my birthday, my parents made up a nice Toronto Blue Jays birthday cake for me.”
Stayner Dairy Queen owner Sherry Schaap thanked Hardisty for all of the work he has done in the community and for SickKids.
“I know you always say they have given you a second life, they have given our community a special angel, and you are that angel,” she said.