By John Goolsby, Prep Sports Editor
TUSCALOOSA – Grayson Pope “took the mound” inside Sewell-Thomas Stadium on the campus of the University of Alabama Friday night.
Pope threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Crimson Tide faced Southeastern Conference foe Tennessee.
Pope threw the first pitch to current Alabama pitcher and former teammate Riley Quick.
The pair were teammates at Hewitt-Trussville when Quick was a senior, and Pope was a freshman.
“Riley took Gray under his wing,” said Jamie Pope, Grayson’s mother. “They have been good buddies ever since then.”
The opportunity came when Alabama assistant head coach Jason Jackson, who had recruited Pope, presented him with a baseball and an invitation to throw out the first pitch ahead of the Tennessee game.
“It is an honor to be given this opportunity,” said Pope.
Pope, one of the top baseball prospects in the state as a sophomore and a lifelong Tennessee fan, committed to play baseball for the Vols.
“He was born in Knoxville, and ‘Go Vols’ was probably some of his first words,” his mother said.
Pope’s recovery from a traumatic brain injury in 2023 has been nothing short of miraculous.
“He’s getting stronger every day,” his mother said. “He’s in rehab every day for physical, occupational, speech, and vision therapy.”
“Five days a week, we are at therapy. And he’s doing therapy at school.”
“He is very determined and has a grit like no other,” she said.
“The double-vision is something we are asking for a lot of prayer and guidance on.”
“The big thing that we are working on right now is getting that corrected. That can help with many things, his balance, coordination, and walking,” she said.
“He’s making all As in school somehow. I don’t know how he does it with double vision, but boy, it would be much easier with single vision.”
The Popes are incredibly appreciative and grateful for all the help the family has received.
“We want to thank the Trussville community and the city of Trussville for stepping up and supporting us as a family during this ordeal,” said David Pope, Grayson’s father.
“The prayers, helping financially with bills. We could not have done it without them.”
The Popes started a foundation, Pray4Gray. The foundation has assisted five families to date.
“We have been able to send them cards and blankets, things that we needed while in the hospital.”
“We are trying to do that for other families in the southeast,” he said.
“I had the opportunity recently to talk and pray with the dad of a nine-year-old in Kentucky.”
“We didn’t know each other from Adam, but I was able to tell him that to get through those first six to seven days is so critical and just to let him know there is hope at the end of it.”
“We want to spread that love,” he said.
The reality of a traumatic brain injury is that it is costly. The foundation also helps with expenses related to Pope’s rehab, vision therapy, and other accessories needed to aid in his recovery.
“It’s expensive,” his dad said. “One of the things we are talking about right now is doing a step-in shower for him so he doesn’t have to use Mom and Dad’s anymore.”
“So all the financial help goes toward giving him some quality of life as well.”
“At the end of the day, we want people to know that there is hope at the end of the tunnel. It is a marathon, not a sprint.”
Video below of the first pitch is compliments of Roger Myers.
@ScottButtram pic.twitter.com/W1y2aZRo0s
— Roger Patrick Myers (@rogerpatmyers) March 15, 2024