(Photo by Colton McKee, coltonmckeephotography.com)
BY TRUMAN BARTMAN. THEMAVERICKS.CA
There’s an overused expression that reads “baseball is more than just a game,” and despite its redundant nature, the statement at its core rings true. On July 12th, the Medicine Hat Mavericks will become more than just baseball players when they don their new blue Superman-inspired uniforms in support of Dominic Strong and the Alberta Children’s Hospital.
In October 2012, Sean and Trish Rooney welcomed their son Dominic into the world. It marked the beginning of a new chapter in their lives, with Dominic being their first child.
“Our son Dominic was born, a happy, beautiful kid. We went through fertility treatments to get him, so it was a bit of a miracle that we had him in the first place. He was super happy as a kid, sleeping through the night, it was every parent’s dream.”
A beautiful beginning soon took a devastating turn with Dominic’s health declining rapidly. The Rooney’s had a long road full of uncertainty ahead as Dominic began his fight against leukemia.
“At 11 months old, he came down with leukemia, and not just normal leukemia, but a very aggressive type. He had what looked like little bug bites on his scalp. And we wound up in the hospital for two years. He was 11 months old when he got sick.”
“Luckily, the community came together for us. I had to leave my job. My wife (Trish) had to leave her job; she pretty much lived in the hospital. The doctors at the Albert Children’s Hospital did the best they could. We had a fantastic support team there, and it was just incredible, the kind of support that we got from everybody involved.”
Prior to putting his work on pause, Sean worked closely with the Mavericks as a member of the Medicine Hat News. With Sean away from covering the team, an opportunity arose for Dominic to make an appearance at a Mavericks game. In the midst of a treacherous fight, the moment served as a glimmer of joy for the Rooneys.
“When we were told on Christmas Eve that he was terminal, that he wasn’t going to live, one of the many things that we got as a bit of a miracle in the last months was him throwing out the first pitch at a Mavs game. I believe it was on Plaid for Dad Night, so it was sort of another cancer fundraiser. That year, he passed away during his wish trip to Orlando; he was the second kid ever on a Canadian wish trip to have passed away.
Following Dominic’s passing, Medicine Hat Mavericks GM and Owner Greg Morrison approached Sean about having an annual Superhero night, which has become a mainstay throughout every Mavericks season.
Alongside Superhero Night, the Mavericks not only play in support of Dominic Strong, but they also wear special superhero jerseys once a year. Regardless of the design, a yellow thumbs-up can be seen on the arm of every single jersey, symbolizing Dominic’s gesture of strength.
“He always had the thumbs up. He was nonverbal, so the thumbs up was a big thing for him, and it became the symbol of Dominic Strong. Even in his last hours, he still gave us a thumbs up. He had almost no strength, and he still gave us a thumbs-up. Even if you’re going through something tough, you can find that thumbs up; you can find a way to persevere. We think that’s inspiring for people, and it’s become super important for us.”
By sharing their family’s journey, the Rooney’s have built a long-lasting legacy through Dominic Strong. The proceeds from every Superhero night go directly towards aiding those who rely on the Alberta Children’s Hospital, one of those kids being Reid Hintz, who is set to throw out the first pitch on Superhero night.
“The money that we raise during superhero night goes to the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation via Extra Life, which is a gaming charity. If you want to create a real legacy, you help others. It’s not about just doing it for yourself. Yes, it’s beneficial for us, yes, it’s part of our grief journey, and it has always been. That’s just the way it’s worked out. Everybody’s journey is different, and we want the focus for Superhero Night to be on giving back to kids like Reid, who still use the Alberta Children’s Hospital.”
“There’s so much you can learn from medical families, and just watching the kids themselves, who have gone through it, they are so much stronger than anybody could have ever imagined, and to see that is to believe it and to learn from it.”
The Medicine Hat Mavericks play baseball on the evening of July 12th, but the game itself will be secondary. Superhero Night is a chance for the Mavericks to honour something far more important.
To learn more about #Dominicstrong, visit https://dominicaml.blogspot.com/p/dominics-story.html