Michael Ribera is an 11 year old from Cromwell, CT. He lives with his parents, Meagan and Bob, and his younger sister, Emma. He also has a dog, Cooper James, who he loves and adores. Michael enjoys listening to, and singing along with, the music of R5. He has seen them in concert and is completely obsessed with the band. Michael is in the sixth grade at Cromwell Middle School. He has a wonderful group of friends who are always there to support and encourage him. Michael is an amazingly brave little boy who has been faced with many challenges throughout the past 11 years. Michael was born completely blind in his right eye and extremely nearsighted in his left and has worn glasses since he was 5 months old. He has a number of cardiac issues and is watched closely by his cardiologist to be sure that his body continues to adjust to the deformities with which he was born. Michael was also born with very low muscle tone and was not able to take his first independent steps until he was 2 ½ years old. A few years ago, Michael was also diagnosed with Scoliosis and is monitored to ensure that the curvature of his spine does not worsen. When Michael was four, and still not talking, his speech therapists diagnosed him with Childhood Apraxia of Speech. He continues to work very hard on both his sentence structure and his word articulation. One of the most recent diagnoses that Michael has received is an immune disorder called hypogammaglobulinemia. This disorder makes it impossible for Michael’s body to make the antibodies it needs to fight infection, which was the reason for Michael’s chronic illness for the first eight years of his life. Now, one day of each month, Michael is admitted to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and receives an infusion of immunoglobulin. With these monthly infusions, Michael has been able to stay healthy and active and is no longer missing out on all the fun that life has to offer. One of Michael’s favorite things to do with his time is to play baseball with the Miracle League. His first season playing was summer of 2014 when he joined the Rockhounds. Since then, he has played the summer leagues as well as the Fall Ball. Michael loves everything about the Miracle League…the uniform, the field, the equipment bag, and, mostly, Coach Mike! Michael also loves being out on the field, without his mom and dad, and being given the chance to hit the baseball just like he had seen his friends do at their games. Michael loves having a buddy to help him during the game. After each game, Michael has his picture taken with his buddy and has them sign his baseball glove. As parents, it has been amazing to watch our son succeed at a sport we thought he would never be able to play due to both his physical and cognitive limitations. Since joining the Miracle League family, Michael has also participated in a number of opportunities other than baseball that are offered to the players. He has taken part in the I Can Bike camps and has successfully learned how to ride a two-wheel bike independently. He has enjoyed going to the Trick-or-Treat event on the field at Halloween with his sister and all the other Miracle League players and families. He recently had a wonderful time at the CT Science Center with other Miracle League Families. Michael and his family are so very thankful for the Miracle League and all of the love they have been shown over the years. It is so much more than just a baseball team. It is a place where our family feels connected to the other players and their families and can feel comfortable that our son is accepted for who he is. We are grateful for all the friends we have made and the bonds that Michael has made with the other children. We are also grateful for all the volunteers who dedicate their time and talents to these remarkable children in hopes of giving them the best experience possible. We look forward to being part of the Miracle League for many more years to come!
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