It was a field of dreams for 7-year-old Isaac Lill who used his arms to run the bases at the Albuquerque Isotopes opener minor league baseball game in New Mexico. It was on that special night, April 4, 2013, that the Isotopes invited Isaac and his family to the game.
Isaac was born with lumbosacral agenesis, a rare condition that affects the spine. This was a memorable moment for Isaac’s family to watch their son run the bases with such willpower and to receive a standing ovation from the crowd. Isaac enjoyed the moment while waving back to the crowd with baseball in hand that the team had given him. His dad, Duncan, held his little hero in his arms and despite his disability nothing could break this little boy’s spirit for his love of the game.
For this little baseball hero, it all began when he met Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp. It was while Kemp was in rehab with the Dodgers’ triple A affiliate in Albuquerque that he noticed 6-year-old Isaac race the team’s mascot around the bases between innings. “The Boy couldn’t walk,” Kemp told the LA Times, “he used his arms to get around the bases.” He asked to meet the boy after the game.
“This is the most incredible thing,” said his father. “Kemp (was) really making him feel special.” The pair formed a special relationship and on September 5, 2012, Isaac and his family were invited as special guests by Kemp to watch him play baseball at Dodger Stadium.
Isaac is a hero to many including the LA Dodgers. He is a testament that dreams can come true despite a disability. Kemp finds Isaac an amazing and inspiring kid.
From the Dodgers Twitter account:
