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Miracle Girl, Miracle League
October 18, 2010
Miracles do happen.
We first introduced you to Olivia Bush, 7, in December 2009 in a story titled “A Christmas Wish: A Cure For Olivia”. She is blind, able to see just a little light with her left eye. And she suffered frequent seizures — until a portion of her brain was removed in February of this year at Miami Children’s Hospital. During the surgery, doctors removed a seven centimeter portion of her brain — basically taking out the bad, non-functioning portion and leaving behind the good, healthy tissue.
She has been seizure-free since, and has become much more independent — even playing ball this year in Pensacola’s Miracle League.
“We really had come to accept that Olivia was going to have seizures forever. It was just going to be one of those things we had to deal with. And when God led us to Miami we knew He had other things in store for Olivia. Since the surgery, Olivia has been a whole different child,” mom Amber Bush said. “It is so great to finally after four years of difficult seizures to see Olivia doing the things she always tried to do, but just couldn’t because of the medicines and side effects of the seizures.”
“This has been yet another miracle that God had brought into Olivia’s life,” Amber said. Olivia’s first miracle was life itself — she was the second youngest baby to ever survive at Sacred Heart Hospital. Born at 22 weeks, she weighed just one pound and six ounces.
And now Olivia is a team player at the Miracle League, where every game ends in a tie. Every player hits; every player scores. There are no strikeouts, no errors. Everybody wins.
Miracle League is for disabled and special needs persons. With players from ages 3 to 63, there are over a dozen teams that play on the two fields at the Mitchell Homes Miracle League Park on Nine Mile Road.
“There isn’t one star on the team….all of the kids are stars. All of the buddies cheer for every batter and even high five the kids as they come around the bases,” Amber said.
“Abigail rounds second! She looks good this year, all decked out and playing some ball,” announcer Crystal Martinez says during a recent afternoon game at the Miracle League. “Loooook at her go! She’s headed home! She scores! Yeah Abi!”
That’s just the way a Miracle League game goes — always. Every game for the past 10 seasons had ended in a tie. The stats for each of the over 150 players will be the same at the end of the season — perfect.
“Olivia has enjoyed herself so much. She loves hearing her name called over the speakers when she comes up to bat and when she scores a run. She just stops and claps her hands,” Amber said.
Each of the two Pensacola Miracle League fields is made up of 180,000 pounds of recycled tires formed into tiles painted to match a regular field. It provides a softer landing spot for a hard fall, while still providing a good bounce for the hollow core ball that is also designed to lesson injury potential. There are two seasons at the park, spring and fall. The rubber surface gets too hot to play in the summer.
The Miracle League needs more volunteers to serve as buddies, work the concession booth, pickup trash and many more tasks around their area of the Nine Mile Road ballpark.
The public is always welcome and encouraged to cheer on the players.
For more information on Miracle League, or to volunteer, visit www.miracleleaguepensacola.org.
Pictured: Olivia Bush at Saturday’s Miracle League games in Pensacola. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge. Pictured middle inset: A “high five” at a recent Miracle League game, NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Comments
15 Responses to “Miracle Girl, Miracle League”
This is TRULY another blessing. My daugter, Reagan Kennedy, was born 11 days before Olivia at 24 weeks. She too was 1lb 1.2 oz. Our families spent long hours in the ICU at Sacred Heart Hospital. I am so proud to have friends like Tad and Amber. They have showed my husband and I the real meaning of “God won’t put more on us than we can bear.” They have always shown unconditional love for Olivia and have never given up on her success. I love you all!
Jenny
she is the sweetest and we fell in love with her t the frist time i read her story on here and then we started to the same church she is a blessing go ing around and doing all kinds of things keep it up amber you are a great mom we love you all and pray always
We love this family! We’ve been praying so long and we love to hear when God answers prayer!
Amber…
As a mother, you are such an inspiration to me. Thanks for your testimony as a mom and for the encouragement that you have given me.
GOD IS AWESOME!! Wow! This is just a great story that brings tears to my life! I love what GOD has made a way for in this area! HORAYY too all the kids that participate and those that help! God will bless you all! (:
Awesome Olivia! You really are a little angel that God has blessed us with.
MIRACLE LEAGUE ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Way to go Olivia! You look SO cute out there! We love you.
Love Uncle Daniel and Aunt Christina (Kade and Kirk too)
Olivia, may God’s blessings continue to fill your life. You are just a miracle and a great inspiration to everyone else. PLAY BALL! Have a wonderful time.
HOME RUN OLIVIA!!!!!! ITS GREAT TO SEE YOU DOING THE THINGS YOU ENJOY DOING!!!!! NOT TOO LONG AGO YOU AND NATHAN WAS HAVING SEISURES WICH GOT IN THE WAY OF YOU GUYS HAVIN FUN. BUT NOW NIETHER ONE OF YOU HAVE HAD A SIESURE SINCE YALLS SURGERY AND YALL ARE BOTH PLAYING BALL!!!!! IT IS TRUELY A MIRACLE!!!!
WE LOVE YOU!!!!!
OH YEA,,,,,,,,,
AUNT KATHY,,,,,….
YOU LOOK LIKE YOU WERE HAVIN JUST AS MUCH FUN AS OLIVIA WAS!!!! LOL
HOME RUN OLIVIA!!!!!! ITS GREAT TO SEE YOU DOING THE THINGS YOU ENJOY DOING!!!!! NOT TOO LONG AGO YOU AND NATHAN WAS HAVING SEISURES WICH GOT IN THE WAY OF YOU GUYS HAVIN FUN. BUT NOW NIETHER ONE OF YOU HAVE HAD A SIESURE SINCE YALLS SURGERY AND YALL ARE BOTH PLAYING BALL!!!!! IT IS TRUELY A MIRACLE!!!!
WE LOVE YOU!!!!!
OH YEA,,,,,,
AUNT KATHY,,,,,
YOU LOOK LIKE YOU WERE HAVIN JUST AS MUCH FUN AS OLIVIA WAS!!!! LOL
Run, my angel Run, God bless your new found independence.Your my sweet girl
run my angel, run God Bless your new found self!
miss Olivia, you are my HERO!!!!! May the Lord continue to richly bless you
GREAT JOB OLIVIA! GREAT JOB TO ALL THE OTHER LITTLE MIRACLES. TRULY GOD IS A MIRACLE WORKER AND I’M GLAD THAT YOU GUYS WERE IS LITTLE RECIPIENTS. LOVE YOU ALL AND GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR LOVING, SPIRITFILLED AND NO GIVING UP FAMILIES.
Amazing! GOD IS GOOD!
BEAUTIFUL is a word to use to describe this little angel