Airdate: TBD - FSN
Billy Bradley was 9 years old when he was struck by lighting during a Little League game. Billy managed to escape death, but the lightning burned his eyes. He was going to need six surgeries – three on each eye – to correct his vision. Billy traveled from his home in small town Arkansas to Houston for the surgery. When Bob Aspromonte – Billy’s favorite player – heard that one of his biggest fans was in town at the hospital, he paid Billy a visit.
Bob asked Billy if there was anything he could do to help, and Billy said yes – that Bob could hit a homerun for him. Bob had previously averaged five home runs per year, so this was no easy task. Against the odds, though, Bob stepped up to the plate that night, and hit a home run. Billy had his surgery and returned home only to return to Houston the following year for his second set of surgeries.
Again, he asked Bob to hit a homerun for him – this time one he could see. Bob hit the homerun, and as Billy stood atop the dugout and cheered for his hero, Bob’s eyes welled up with tears as he was mobbed by his teammates. Billy returned six weeks later for his final set of surgeries – this one was to fully restore Billy’s sight. Billy again requested Bob hit a home run for him – this time it was the game winning home run.
With his vision fully restored, Billy returned home to El Dorado, Arkansas and resumed his Little League career. Billy’s talent increased exponentially, until finally he threw a perfect game. He sent a clipping to Bob saying that he did it for him. In a strange twist of fate, three years after retiring from baseball, Bob was nearly blinded when a car battery exploded in his face. Bob underwent surgery to correct his vision – and it was almost the same surgery that Billy had to restore his vision. It was even performed by the very same doctor. Billy phoned Bob in the hospital and told him to have faith, that he would get his vision back just like Billy did. And he practically did – Dr Girard was able to restore 40% of Bob’s vision.