Throwing The First Pitch Is A Child's Dream. For This 9-Year-Old, It Was Monumental

August 5, 2016

Last summer, Zion Harvey became the first child to receive a double hand transplant.

This week, the 9-year-old baseball fan lived out what most kids his age only dream about: throwing out the first pitch at a professional baseball game.

boy double hands transplant throws first pitch Orioles
Twitter / Baltimore Orioles

Zion, who lives in Maryland just outside of Baltimore, threw out the ceremonial first pitch Tuesday at the Baltimore Orioles game against the Texas Rangers.

Tonight, Zion Harvey, the first child in the world to undergo a bilateral hand transplant, threw the first pitch.https://t.co/wuk5Qsr90Q
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) August 3, 2016

Zion lost both hands and his feet when he was 2 years old to a life-threatening bacterial infection that also led to a kidney transplant.

Last July, he underwent the 10-hour bilateral hand transplant surgery performed at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. He continues to receive outpatient rehabilitation therapy.

boy double hands transplant throws first pitch Orioles
Twitter / Baltimore Orioles