I cried when i read this wonderful experience of a father and a mother. Would like to share with all of you...

WONDERFUL STORY should be shared with WONDERFUL PEOPLE like you!

At a fundraising dinner for a schoolthat serves learning disabled children,the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never beforgotten by all who attended. After extolling the schooland its dedicated staff, he offered a question:

"When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?"

The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. "I believe,that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes, in the way other people treat that child.

"Then he told the following story:

Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked,"Do you think they'll let me play?"Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

Shay's father approached one ofthe boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around for guidance and said,"We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'lltry to put him in to bat in the ninth inning."

Shay struggled over to the team's bench put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his Father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. Theboys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored afew runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the rightfield. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands.In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled tobe next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that ahit was all but impossible 'cause Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect withthe ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing the other team putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in afew steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at leastbe able to make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow groundball right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over, but thep itcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the first baseman, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!" Never in his life had Shay ever ran that farbut made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline,wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, "Run to second,run to second!"

Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to second base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base,the right fielder had the ball, the smallest guy on theirteam, who had a chance to be the hero for his team for the first time. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead ofhim circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, "Shay, Shay,Shay, all the Way Shay"

Shay reached third base, the opposing short stop ran to help him and turned him in the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run tothird" As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams and those watching were on their feet were screaming,"Shay, run home! Shay ran to home, stepped on theplate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the "grandslam" and won the game for his team.

That day, said the father softly withtears now rolling down his face, the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world.

Shay didn't make it to another summer and died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his Father so happy and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of theday!