Isaac Lindsey throws ceremonial first pitch at Templeton baseball game nearly 6 months after devastating injury
Isaac Lindsey had been practicing his throws all week, but the ceremonial first pitch before Templeton High baseball game Thursday was nearly six months in the making.
One hundred and sixty eight days after suffering a traumatic brain injury, Lindsey was escorted to the infield at Vineyard Athletic Park by Templeton varsity baseball player Shane Wyatt and the woman who helped save his life on Sept. 18., Templeton athletic trainer Shelby LaMendola.
“It was alright,” Lindsey said of the pitch that was on line but just a bit short. Templeton star player Mac Lardner presented Lindsey with flowers after the pitch.
His mother Jenny, father Michael, brother Louis and a few of his Templeton teammates were there to witness what Jenny called a big milestone for Isaac.
“It was pretty awesome to see,” Michael Lindsey said.
“He loved baseball and he made a choice in junior high to switch to track because it prepared him for football and he was always sad that he had to give up baseball for track,” Jenny Lindsey said. “This is exciting for him.”
“It was nice, the team made me feel really welcome,” Isaac Lindsey said. “Baseball was my prime sport. I played third base and a little bit of pitcher.”
But the harsh reality of Isaac’s recovery means that he might not remember Thursday’s milestone moment for long.
“He can remember about two weeks out,” Jenny Lindsey said. “It is getting better but it’s a work in progress.”
Jenny says that Isaac has trouble remembering his nearly three-month stay in the San Jose rehabilitation center or the football season.
“He can look at pictures to jog his memory, but for the most part he struggles,” Jenny Lindsey said.
In the 73 days since Isaac returned to a hero’s welcome, he has been rehabbing constantly. Three days a week he attends physical therapy in the morning and speech therapy in the afternoon followed by tutoring that involves hands-on activities and watching videos on World War II history. Twice a week he goes to occupational therapy.
Jenny compared Isaac’s injury to that of Olympic snowboarder Kevin Pearce.
“Pearce talks about how he could remember up to the point of the accident and then nothing for two years. So that’s kind of what we are expecting with Isaac,” Jenny Lindsey said. “Your memory just gets better and better with time.”
After throwing the pitch, Isaac settled into the bleachers with his friends to watch the game and cheer on classmates. Everyone that approached him to say hello was greeted with a hug.
Isaac knows that he will never get back out on the football field, but he desperately wants things to return to normal. He started work on the restoration of an old John Deere tractor, one of his favorite hobbies, with his brother and the Lindseys are optimistic about his future.
“We expect him his senior year to be back to school and complete his senior year,” Jenny Lindsey said.
In the meantime, Isaac will remain Templeton’s biggest fan, as evidenced by this anecdote from Thursday, told by Jenny Lindsey:
“We went to school today because his sister Mattie had a softball game in Paso Robles and we got to see his buddies. We just so happened to be there while the track team was loading up on the bus. Isaac stood at the door of the bus, gave everyone a hug and said ‘Come on! Go run your hardest! Go throw your best!’ Then he got on the bus and gave this little inspirational speech: ‘I want you to go out there and run your hardest, jump your farthest, throw your hardest. Every one of you is a champion and I just love all of you!’
“And that’s how he was even before his injury. Inspirational like that.”
This story was originally published March 3, 2016 at 7:55 PM with the headline "Isaac Lindsey throws ceremonial first pitch at Templeton baseball game nearly 6 months after devastating injury."