Over 1 month after nearly dying on the bench, White Sox player returns for ceremonial first pitch
A little over a month after suffering a brain hemorrhage and collapsing in the dugout during a game, White Sox relief pitcher Danny Farquhar made an emotional return to the field Friday night.
Accompanied by his wife and children, Farquhar threw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to Chicago’s game against the Brewers. He threw a strike to a fellow reliever, Nate Jones.
After suffering a brain hemorrhage just six weeks ago, Danny Farquhar returned to the mound tonight and threw out the ceremonial first pitch. pic.twitter.com/4tD8DziDCM
— Yorman Sequera (@sequerayorman7) June 2, 2018
Farquhar’s life changed in an instant on April 20 when he collapsed in the dugout after pitching two-thirds of an inning against the Astros.
When Nate Jones visited Danny Farquhar in the hospital, Danny surprised Nate by showing he could walk. This was their embrace when they saw each other in the hallway. pic.twitter.com/VATC2kPC9B
— Chuck Garfien (@ChuckGarfien) June 1, 2018
“My last memory was walking to the bullpen at 6:30 that day; I didn’t have any memories of the game,” Farquhar told reporters Friday, according to ESPN.
The 31-year-old reliever was immediately attended to by team medical personnel, then taken to Rush University Medical Center for further treatment and testing.
The next day, it was revealed that Farquhar had suffered a brain hemorrhage. In a statement, the team said a “ruptured aneurysm caused the brain bleed.” Farquhar was stable but in critical condition, the team said.
Statement on Danny Farquhar.
White Sox fans, please keep Danny and his family in your positive thoughts and prayers. pic.twitter.com/4DdwnXbVXd
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 21, 2018
“When you wake up in the hospital and you have 20-something staples in your head and a drain coming out the other side, and you have no memories, it puts life into perspective of how quickly it can change,” Farquhar said Friday.
Farquhar was released from the hospital on May 7 and has made what doctors are calling a miraculous recovery.
About 40 percent of people who have ruptured brain aneurysms die, while roughly 60 percent of those who survive have severe disabilities, the doctors told him, according to ABC News.
If it hadn’t happened at the stadium, around other people, the outcome might have been different.
“I was just thinking, man, if this would have happened when I’m in a hotel room by myself,” then he might have been “part of the 40 percent,” Farquhar told ABC.
Farquhar has been cleared by doctors to resume most aspects of his normal life, with one major exception — he won’t be returning to the White Sox, at least not this year.
In celebration of Danny Farquhar's recovery, @soxcharities will donate the proceeds from all fundraising efforts from tonight's game to the Joe Niekro Foundation, an organization committed to supporting patients and families, research, treatment and awareness of brain aneurysms.
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) June 1, 2018
He has to watch his blood pressure and stress levels, which means he is limited in how much he is able to work out. Beyond that, he’s hoping to one day return to baseball.
“Aerobically, I’m feeling really strong … (but) big league baseball compared to other levels of baseball is a big difference,” Farquhar said. “I think I’ll be back there one day.”
Whatever happens, he knows God has a plan for his life.
“But, obviously, all the prayers that everybody had for me, you know, had some sort of effect,” Farquhar said. “And God has a plan for me, I just don’t know what it is yet.”
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