Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll made a surprise visit to Christopher Gerardo, a high school senior recovering from a severe car accident, at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. The visit brought joy to Gerardo, who has lost movement below his chest, and included additional support from the Diamondbacks organization.
Christopher Gerardo, a senior at Trevor Browne High School in Phoenix, was involved in a car accident on Oct. 13 while returning from a baseball showcase in Tucson. Despite multiple surgeries, he has no movement below his chest and is undergoing neuro rehabilitation. A GoFundMe page was created to assist with his medical expenses.
Gerardo's teammates and school officials contacted the Diamondbacks to arrange a visit from Corbin Carroll. Debbie Castaldo, the team's senior vice president of community impact, shared letters from the group with Carroll. "I saw what was written and I said, 'This is definitely something we need to make happen,'" Carroll said.
Adrian Gerardo, Christopher's father, described the moment Carroll entered the room after a physical therapy session. "I hadn't seen that smile in a long time," Adrian said. "Oh man, you should've seen the look on his face. It meant everything for me to see him like that."
The visit lasted more than an hour, with Carroll and Gerardo discussing baseball, including specific games and at-bats. They FaceTimed Arizona catcher Gabriel Moreno for encouragement. Castaldo noted Gerardo's reaction: "He was absolutely in shock. It took him a minute to actually say anything. And then, I mean, his, you could see his brain just start rolling. And it was so much fun. He asked Corbin all about certain games and certain at-bats and who his favorite teammate was and his favorite stadium to play in."
The Diamondbacks provided additional surprises, including an iPad for schoolwork and Diamondbacks games, and named Gerardo a D-backs Scholar, covering his college tuition. "I told him we will make sure you have whatever resources you need to go to college," Castaldo said. Carroll added, "That was super powerful. It was just really cool to be a part of kind of seeing that and his reaction."
Carroll shared the story of Cory Hahn, a former Arizona State player who suffered a spinal cord injury in 2011 and now works in the Diamondbacks' baseball operations. "I told him that Cory is a very valuable member of the front office," Carroll said. "When [Christopher] said he hoped to be involved in baseball, it was pretty cool to be able to tell him about Cory and that, truthfully, none of his dreams have to change."