A 2-year old girl who was hit by a foul ball during a Houston Astros game against the Chicago Cubs last year has suffered permanent brain damage according to the family’s attorney. The Houston Chronicle spoke to the family’s attorney, Richard Mithoff, who said the child is being treated with a brain injury which could lead to her having seizures for the rest of her life. The incident happened on May 29, and continues to receive medication.
“She (the child) has an injury to a part of the brain, and it is permanent,” Mithoff said via PEOPLE. “She remains subject to seizures and is on medication and will be, perhaps, for the rest of her life. That may or may not be resolved.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
The girl was hit by a foul ball off the bat of Cubs player Alberto Almora Jr. The injury caused the child’s central nervous system to be affected and the parent said she is suffering from frequent headaches and night terrors since the accident happened.
“She is able to continue with much of her routine as a girl her age would do, but her parents have to be particularly vigilant, as they are,” the attorney said. “She has wonderful parents and is receiving wonderful care. They obviously are concerned, but she is blessed with a family that is doing relatively well, considering everything.”
As soon as the girl was hit by the foul ball, Almora became visibly distraught and had to be consoled by his teammates. He was able to pull himself together a few minutes later but he was seen crying after he talked to a security guard about the girl’s condition.
“Right now, I’m just praying and I’m speechless,” he said per ESPN. “I’m at loss of words. Being a father, two boys … but God willing, I’ll be able to have a relationship with this little girl for the rest of my life. But just prayers right now, and that’s all I really can control.”
Then Cubs manager Joe Maddon spoke to Almora about the accident and he assured him it wasn’t his fault.
“I just wanted him to understand, ‘This is not under your control. There’s nothing you could’ve done about that differently, so please don’t blame yourself,’” Maddon said after the game. “Of course, it’s an awful moment, but it’s a game and this is out of your control and you just have to understand that part of it.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
