Torres: Manatees, Brewers lend helping hand
It wasn't until the baby was home for a week that his parents noticed something was wrong.
Little Mikael seemed in pain whenever he passed a bowel movement. Soon there was blood, lots of it. His young parents, Brevard Manatees pitcher Jorge Lopez and his wife rushed the newborn to the hospital. But doctors found little wrong.
"They told us these were just complications from him being born premature," the 21-year-old Lopez said this week from Space Coast Stadium, where he is helping anchor one of the best pitching staffs in the Florida State League.
More doctors and two more hospitals followed, including the leading children's hospital in Puerto Rico where Lopez is from. They stayed at the children's hospital for five months as doctors ran batteries of tests to find out what was wrong with the boy.
"He was getting sick a lot, and he wasn't gaining any weight. He had bronchitis and pneumonia and was very bad," Lopez said. "Finally we brought him to a hospital in Miami."
That's where they discovered that the little boy's intestines had never worked a day in his young life. An unknown autoimmune disease has necessitated an intestinal transplant.
"Now we are waiting to see if the transplant is the answer," Lopez said, realizing all too well that he is a key player in a story about faith, baseball, a rare disease and the need for a miracle.
The Hand
The medical bills and expenses have grown so much that Lopez smiles sadly and says he is on a payment plan. Transporting his sick child and wife from Puerto Rico to Miami costs $8,000 alone. That's where the Manatees are pitching in with the "18 for 18 Charity Golf Tourney" scheduled for Friday, Aug. 8 at Turtle Creek Golf Club in Rockledge.
Lopez wears number 18 on his jersey.
All proceeds will go to help the young family cover travel and medical expenses, something that causes Lopez to shake his head slowly and somehow keep the tears welling in his eyes from spilling out.
"There are no words, no words to express my gratitude for what the Manatees and Brewers have done and are doing for me and my family," Lopez said. "Not everyone does this type of stuff. They have offered me their hand."
That "hand," support from family, friends and most of all a deep Christian faith have helped the young couple navigate this last year without falling completely apart. Lopez acknowledges that this ordeal has been very difficult on the young couple.
They come from a mountainous region in central Puerto Rico called Cayey, far enough from the bright lights of San Juan to enjoy a humble and peaceful life. But Lopez has a special right arm, so special that the Brewers made him a second-round draft choice in 2011 and he is presently ranked as the club's 19th best prospect despite being in Single A ball.
And so home now is whatever hospital his little boy is lying in at the moment.
Lopez has been burning up the miles on I-95 in between starts as the club has allowed him to make visits to see Mikael in between starts.
"It's hard for me being here but I can't imagine what it is like for (my wife) being there in Miami and dealing with everything on a daily basis. But she is very strong and we both have very strong faith, great faith. God is good."
More valuable than Money
Somehow, Lopez has been able to pitch the heck out of the baseball despite his son's condition and the constant worrying, travel and mounting medical bills.
He's 8-5 with a 3.54 ERA and 73 strikeouts to only 29 walks. He was even selected to pitch recently for the World All-Star Team in the Futures Game during the Major League All-Star break, calling it a great thrill to feel so close to his dream.
"I always try to forget about everything when I get to work," he said. "With God's help, I can forget it but it's very difficult. My teammates have helped me very much. They tell me to keep going."
His son's smile, as rare as it occurs, also keeps him going.
"He is so beautiful to look at," Lopez said. "It's beautiful to look at him when he's smiling and laughing and when he's doing well. But it's rare to see him happy. The medicines he is on right now make him so sleepy. Still, you can see his will to live."
If Mikael is going to live, he will need new intestines. He will need Brevard residents to sign up to play golf and raise money for his medical needs. He will need something more, something greater.
"The expenses and money is a reality that God has placed in our lives," Lopez said. "But what I value much more than the money being raised are the prayers being offered up for my son — that's what's really important."
So, whatever you decide to do — play golf, send a donation, offer up a prayer or simply cheer the tall right-hander when he takes the mound at Space Coast Stadium — do it with a full heart knowing how much his young family needs it.
And if you are a believer, then remember a little boy you'll never meet when you kneel down in church today. Because despite being only one year old, he can already use a miracle.
Contact Torres at 321-242-3684 or at jtorres@floridatoday.com. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter @johnalbertorres or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/FTjohntorres.
Want to play
The "18 for 18 Charity Golf Tournament" takes place at 1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 8 at Turtle Creek Golf Club in Rockledge. Registration is at noon.
The cost: $75 per person; $200 per threesome (with the opportunity to include a Manatees player, coach, or staff as your fourth); $250 per foursome; $150 for hole sponsorships
This includes 18-holes of golf, riding cart, tournament polo, boxed lunch, goodie bag and chance to win various prizes.
To register: Contact Kevin Soto at 321-633-9200 ext. 3006 or ksoto@spacecoaststadium.com