We all love comeback stories. Not just a game when your team is down in the bottom of the ninth and someone hits a walk off home run. Sometimes it more than just a player who has a bounce back season after their career worst. The Yankees have their own comeback story now, his name is Danny Farquhar.
You may recognize the name. Farquhar survived a scary incident this past season, the kind you don't hear about too often. After pitching in a relief appearance on April 20th, he walked off the mound and into the dugout as usual. Suddenly he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital where he was treated for a ruptured brain aneurysm.
Farquhar had a complicated surgery to relieve the swelling and bleeding around the brain. It's a very dangerous and risky surgery, but he is proof that miracles do happen. I just wish these kinds of miracles happen more often.
I have seen how devastating a brain aneurysm is on a person and their family. My husband works in public safety and on August 1, 2018 our community lost a great man, a real life super hero to a brain aneurysm. I never got the chance to meet this man, but my husband spoke highly of him often. He says this man inspired him and motivated him to get to where he is today. I wish I could've met him, but most of all I wish his same surgery would've been successful and he could've had the same miracle as Farquhar.
Baseball has a lot of common injuries. We hear about guys who have knee problems like CC Sabathia, or they blow out their shoulder. Or what about Tommy John surgery? Didi Gregorius knows all about that and nowadays it's common....and that's sad to say.
But how often do you hear about baseball players fighting against a brain aneurysm? Former All-Star first basemen and World Series champion John Olerud had one in college, but he recovered and had a long and successful big league career. Anaheim Angels pitcher Kent Mercker had a brain hemorrhage back in 2000 but quick medical attention prevented the bleeding on his brain from turning into an even more critical situation and he recovered.
Pitcher Don Black also suffered a hemorrhage in 1948 and he made a full recovery but he never pitched again.
Fortunately for Farquhar, it looks like he will have a chance to pitch again. The Yankees just signed him to a minor league deal, but getting a spot in the bullpen with this talented group of guys is going to be another challenge for him.
Even if he doesn't win a spot in spring, he has already proven that he is a fighter. We always need guys like him especially when we are chasing after a championship. He's a survivor, and I will always take survivors on my team. They know how to fight.
Even if he never makes it back to the big leagues, his story is miraculous. Welcome to New York, Danny! I look forward to watching the next part in your inspiring story.
--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj
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