Rockies relief pitcher Justin Miller, right, talks with a wounded serviceman at Walter Reed Military Medical Center on Thursday. Manager Walt Weiss, left, looks on. (Photos courtesy of Julian Valentin, Colorado Rockies).
Washington, D.C. — Perspective.
I heard that word repeated over and over in the Rockies’ clubhouse before Friday night’s game against the Nationals.
Earlier in the day, a number of Rockies, including manager Walt Weiss, pitching coaches Steve Foster and Darren Holmes, as well as number of players, visited wounded veterans at Walter Reed Military Medical Center.
“It was eye-opening,” said rookie Kyle Parker. “Growing up, I knew a lot of guys who went to Iraq. Luckily, none of them were injured. But what I saw today put things in perspective. The things they have done for us is amazing. You realized how blessed we are.”
Walter Reed is the largest military medical center in the United States, serving wounded soldiers from all branches of the military. There are soldiers there who are missing arms and legs — trying to figure out how to move forward in life with prosthetic limbs.
One wounded veteran, scarred and burned from a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, told the Rockies how a friend sitting next to him had his head blown off during the explosion; another soldier lost his legs; still another walked away unscathed — at least physically.
“It really is a humbling experience to go in there and interact with those wounded warriors,” said outfielder Drew Stubbs, who has visited the hospital numerous times during his career. “We as baseball players view our careers, as a job, to entertain and compete. It gives people everywhere a chance to go out and enjoy a great game.
“But when you go to Walter Reed, you realize that none of that is possible without the sacrifices made by those guys. Just getting to hear their stories and see their side of things, it’s very moving. To see their appreciation of us coming by to see them is really gratifying.
“It just continues to give you a humble perspective of what we have here and what those men and women are doing for us overseas.”
Rockies catcher Nick Hundley, right front, and his teammates visit a wounded warrior at Walter Reed Military Medical Center on Friday. (Photo courtesy of Julian Valentin, Colorado Rockies)
Tags: Darren Holmes, Drew Stubbs, Kyle Parker, Steve Foster, Walt Weiss, Walter Reed Medical Center
