Roan Heck’s favourite baseball team is the Toronto Blue Jays, and on Wednesday night he got to see the team in action at home for the first time.
“Really happy, extra happy,” the eight-year-old from central Alberta gushed.
Roan and his family from Stettler have been to three Jays games – one of which resulted in an incredibly special experience that caused Roan’s love for the team to skyrocket.
Last summer, the family took a trip to Seattle to see the Jays play the Mariners, where Roan ended up getting the autograph of every single Jays player.
When he was just a year old, Roan lost his left leg in a lawnmower accident. While in Seattle with his family last year to get a new prosthetic leg, he hoped to get the custom-designed device – complete with Blue Jays decals – signed by slugger Edwin Encarnacion.
READ MORE: 7-year-old Alberta boy has special Blue Jays connection
Encarnacion spotted the then seven-year-old and signed the leg, but didn’t stop there. He took the prosthetic into the clubhouse and got the whole team to sign it.
“Sometimes these tragedies, you’re not exactly sure where it’s going to go,” Roan’s dad Neil Heck said outside Rogers Centre Wednesday night.
“But this one has led to so many opportunities, and it makes you realize life goes on and good things happen from things that seem like misfortune.”
Thanks to former Jays third baseman Kelly Gruber, the family was gifted a free trip to Toronto to watch Wednesday’s game.
“It’s the best thing that ever happened,” Roan said with excitement.
Watch Below: (Oct. 14, 2015) Roan Heck is a seven-year-old Stettler boy. He’s also a huge Jays fan. Kent Morrison has his story.
With files from Emily Mertz and Ashley Carter, Global News
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