Joy Factor is a Joytv.ca feature that celebrates moments that will bring a smile to your face! Be it an uplifting news item, a funny viral video, or an instance where good emerges out of bad situation, Joy Factor strives to shine a light on the best this world has to offer.
From a young age, we are encouraged to make the most out of life and not let anyone, or anything, hold us back from chasing our dreams. One person who definitely taken this to heart is seven-year-old baseball fan, Hailey Dawson.
At birth, Dawson was born with just three fingers on her right hand, thanks to Poland Syndrome. Now, however, she sports a specially designed 3D-printed hand that is held together and controlled by fishing line. For movement – according to Bleacher Report – Dawson flicks her wrist and that allows her fingers to open and close. Along the way, Dawson taught herself how to grip a baseball, then how to throw one.
Dawson’s inspiring story has led to her throwing out the first pitch at Major League Baseball (MLB) games for the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals. Now, according to her mother, Hailey wants to set the Guinness World Record for most first pitches thrown.
Thanks to an unbelievable social media push and sports media outlets sharing Dawson’s story, several MLB teams have invited this inspirational fan to throw first pitches at their games. What’s more, MLB has confirmed that Dawson will throw the first pitch at Game 4 of this year’s World Series.
“@haileys_hand Grab your passport! We can’t wait to welcome you to Rogers Centre!” Wrote the Toronto Blue Jays on Twitter.
A date for Dawson’s Toronto appearance has yet to be confirmed, but it’ll be great to see the Las Vegas native make her way North for a toss!
In addition to taking several fields, Dawson is also using her platform to help raise funds for UNLV’s College of Engineering, so that more 3D-printed hands can be created for other children.
-Adam Grant
