Articles

Michelle Singleton never forgets what people said when they saw her carrying her son, a child who should have been old enough to walk.

“One of the things people would say is if you would make that boy walk, he wouldn’t look like that,” she remembers.

If only they knew how badly Michelle wanted her son to have that privilege.

If only they saw Shawn on the mound years later to deliver the Center Point Pirates’ ceremonial first pitch.

Photo by Tom Holden | Kerrville Daily Times

Nobody would fault the kid for bouncing it or chucking it wide. It happens to a lot of adults hurling a first pitch, much less a child.

Coach Bubba Walters handed Shawn the ball, and before anyone knew it, Shawn let it fly.

Michelle didn’t really care what happened to the pitch as it made its way to home plate. Nobody could take away Shawn’s journey through a grim prognosis, a family and community that embraced one of its most challenged members, or the fact that this kid just wouldn’t quit.

Still, the crowd's eyes were glued to the ball as everyone hoped for a strike.

ROUGH ROAD

The doctors had sent newborn Shawn home to die.

On top of being born with Prader-Willi syndrome, a genetic disorder that can cause low muscle tone and cognitive disabilities among other symptoms, Shawn had pulmonary hypertension when he was five days old.

The pulmonary hypertension restricted blood flow to Shawn’s lungs, and the doctors, not yet knowing Shawn had Prader-Willi, sedated him for three and a half weeks.

Sedation usually kills infants with Prader-Willi due to a low percentage of body muscle in infants with the syndrome, but not Shawn. Shawn beat the odds and lived, though he was left in a vegetative state upon being awakened.

In order to stimulate Shawn’s muscles, Michelle had to move Shawn’s body every hour. For the first two and a half years of Shawn’s life, Michelle said she never had more than a half hour of continuous sleep at a time.

“I was in survival mode,” Michelle said. “I knew he would live.”

Michelle also had to feed Shawn through a tube. The years of muscle stimulation paid off, as Shawn began walking at around three years old and talking at around four and a half.

Just as he began learning those basic human functions, Shawn had to cope with the most well-known symptom of Prader-Willi—insatiable hunger.

Shawn always feels hungry and never experiences the sensation of being full. Michelle must lock down food in their home and strictly monitor Shawn’s diet.

“It causes him to be irritated a lot,” Michelle said. “He bites at his nails to try to relieve some of that (hunger), but it never goes away.”

Michelle and Shawn navigate the hunger and physical and mental challenges of Prater-Willi with invaluable family support. Michelle’s boyfriend of about five years, William McBee, has been a father to Shawn after Shawn’s biological father left the family and now only makes inconsistent appearances.

Shawn’s younger sister, 6-year-old Ashley, has “taught (Shawn) everything he knows,” Michelle said. Ashley even taught Shawn how to cry, their mother added.

For Shawn’s education, Michelle chose Center Point, where Shawn could spend some of his time in a normal classroom. Shawn is confined to a resource room at times, but with Center Point’s small enrollment size, teachers also can give Shawn attention in regular class settings.

“I wanted him have more of a normal routine and see what that life is and try to step up to that life,” Michelle said.

Shawn has received speech therapy to better communicate, and he has elevated his academics to impressive heights.

“He learned how to read, write, all those things they told me he’d never do,” Michelle said.

A NEW BIG BROTHER

Life in school was never easy for Shawn, especially when other kids picked on him. That’s where Center Point third baseman and football player Nate Ramirez stepped in last fall.

Pirates football players were meeting elementary kids for breakfast and story-reading. When Ramirez overheard kids making fun of Shawn, Ramirez took it upon himself to reach out.

“I sat next to (Shawn), and I said, ‘Hey, come over here with me; you’re not different than anyone else, just a human being,’” Ramirez said. “Ever since then, I’ve seen him as my little brother, and he’s seen me as a big brother.”

Ramirez said his younger twin brothers also view Shawn like family.

“The way I see my little brothers, the twins, I picture Shawn right next to them,” Ramirez said. “Having him in a part of our life is a big blessing.”

Shawn’s development skyrocketed as the Pirates players adopted him as one of the guys.

“I don’t know how to put it into words, what they’ve done for this boy or this mom,” Michelle said. “Shawn is reading better and pushing himself. His maturity level has lifted because he wants to be like these big boys. He wants to play ball like them.”

Doctors couldn’t permit Shawn to play football and hadn’t given him the OK for organized basketball, so he joined little league baseball a few seasons ago.

“He plays ball, he can hit, he can pitch,” Michelle said. “He’s not the best player, but he does know the game.”

GAME TIME

....Shawn’s first pitch was never in doubt.

The ball landed knee high over the outside corner for a strike. He casually walked back to the dugout, elated having done his part.

The No. 2 state ranked, 18-0 Pirates still had to do theirs—take down No. 19, 15-5 Johnson City.

The Pirates took an early 2-0 lead, maybe en route to yet another easy victory, the Center Point faithful hoped. Nope.

The two runs were all Center Point could muster through five innings. Starter Larry Leitha was untouchable in that span but got tagged for two Johnson City runs in the top of the sixth.

The whole time, Shawn stayed in the dugout, in the ears of the skipper and his players. He pulled no punches after Center Point walked a batter.

“(Shawn) looked at me, he said, ‘You put me in, I’ll throw strikes,’” Bubba Walters said. “I lost concentration, I was laughing so hard.”

With the Pirates batting and catcher Aaron Walters sitting in the dugout, “(Shawn) was like, ‘Throw with me,’” Aaron said. “So I got down in my catcher’s gear and threw with him. It was really funny.”

CRUNCH TIME

Every time Aaron put on his batting helmet for an at-bat, Shawn had the same order.

“(Shawn) told me to hit a home run every at bat,” said Aaron. “I was trying to do that for him.”

Walters had come up empty handed on Shawn’s request to that point, and he didn’t need all that much to seal the win in the bottom of the seventh and final inning. The Pirates drew a walk, stole a base, received an intentional walk and drew another walk that left the bases loaded.

Walters methodically worked a full count, remembering Shawn’s words and looking to simply send everyone home happy with a win.

The 3-2 pitch coming in looked hittable.

And Walters smashed it.

It carried and carried, drawing the outfielder further and further back. With no room left, the outfielder could only watch the ball fly. Walters had knocked it over the fence, the Pirates won 6-2, and everyone rushed to home plate to mob the Pirates catcher.

Not far behind was Shawn, tossing his batting helmet in triumph and joining the celebration.

“It was special that he was a part of us, and he got to experience that jubilation,” Bubba Walters said. “It made it that much sweeter.”

Photo by Jeff Lavender | Times Contributor

A GIFT

Maybe one day the naysayers will celebrate Shawn, a people-person who enjoys shooting hoops at the Kroc Center and Zumba with the girls — “he’s a ladies’ man,” Michelle added.

Anyone concerned for Michelle’s morale needn’t be worried.

“His momma couldn’t be more on top of the world than anyone you’ve ever met,” Michelle said. “There’s not too much that can get in the way of all that happiness. He is a joy.”

Michelle is surrounded by those who do choose to understand more about Shawn. They usually end up understanding more about themselves as well.

“Be grateful to have the gifts that God gave you,” Bubba Walters said his team has learned. “Be thankful for what you have, and don’t take it for granted.”

Among those gifts is a strike-throwing, fun-loving little brother named Shawn.

Michelle Singleton never forgets what people said when they saw her carrying her son, a child who should have been old enough to walk.

“One of the things people would say is if you would make that boy walk, he wouldn’t look like that,” she remembers.

If only they knew how badly Michelle wanted her son to have that privilege.

If only they saw Shawn on the mound years later to deliver the Center Point Pirates’ ceremonial first pitch.

Photo by Tom Holden