Stepping up to the plate: N.S. baseball community rallies around young player who suffered stroke
There has been a remarkable show of support for a young baseball player from the Halifax area who suffered a stroke during a game late last month.
While the 12-year-old recovers in hospital, teammates and many others are stepping up to the plate to wish him a speedy recovery.
Satchel Tate suffered a medical emergency on July 30 while playing for the Hammonds Plains As in an under-13 AA tournament in Bridgewater, N.S.
"He was in centre field, and he was just laying down," friend and teammate Nathan Moulton told CTV News Tuesday,
"I thought he was goofing around because that's his personality, but it ends up he wasn't."
Tate remains in hospital at the IWK Health Centre and is said to be doing quite well -- alert and chatting with visitors.
(Source: Tate Family)
A wall in his room is decorated with his favourite sports posters: The Blue Jays, the Toronto Raptors, and Sidney Crosby.
The Blue Jays are among those sending packages.
"Baseball Canada is putting together a package for him, and then our own provincial body, Baseball Nova Scotia has sent something in to Satchel," said Holly LaPierre, president of Hammonds Plains Minor Baseball.
Scores of strangers have also reached out.
(Source: Hammonds Plains Minor Baseball)
"Last night, at our game in Dartmouth, the Dartmouth team, as well as the Tri-County team, showed up to the field and gave our players care packages — a tribute to Satchel," said the As' head coach Garnet Brooks.
Strokes in young people aren't common, according to doctors, but they're not unheard of.
"It does occur in children. It's very rare, and the causes are quite different than they are in adults," said Dr. Doug Sinclair, the IWK's vice-president of medicine, quality and safety, and an ER doctor himself.
"So, for instance, those children born with what we call congenital hearts — or abnormal hearts — some of those children are more prone to stroke. There are some blood diseases, like sickle cell would be the most common, which is a rare disease in Nova Scotia, but much more common in Ontario and other parts of the world. The blood is abnormal, and they can have strokes," said Dr. Sinclair.
"And in babies, it's even more challenging, because the signs and symptoms are so very different, and again rare events, but we do see them, even in babies."
The As themselves have recorded video messages for Satchel, and have paid their own tribute, adding his number seven to their uniforms — right over their hearts.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
New charges for Ont. woman who previously admitted to defrauding doulas
The Brantford, Ont. woman who was previously sentenced to house arrest after admitting to deceiving doulas has been charged again in connection to a new victim.