{"id":5726,"date":"2024-08-07T21:52:45","date_gmt":"2024-08-08T01:52:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.teamimpact.org\/?p=5726"},"modified":"2024-08-07T21:52:46","modified_gmt":"2024-08-08T01:52:46","slug":"friendship-series-levi-and-sam-belmont-baseball","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teamimpact.org\/about\/blog\/friendship-series-levi-and-sam-belmont-baseball\/","title":{"rendered":"Friendship Series: Levi and Sam, Belmont Baseball"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The best friends bring out the best in one another. When Team IMPACT Fellow Sam Kirkpatrick transferred to Belmont from Holy Cross, he brought his love of Team IMPACT with him. Little did he know, that love of Team IMPACT would bring him a lifelong friend and a new family through his Team IMPACT teammate, Levi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSam is family and is a brother to Levi,<\/strong>\u201d said Levi\u2019s mom, Erin. \u201cHe is always cheering Levi on and serves as a role model.\u201d After Sam transferred, he worked hard to bring Team IMPACT to more teams on his new campus. Levi was the first match, signed onto Sam\u2019s very own baseball team, and in the time since, three more teams have signed Team IMPACT teammates of their own. \u201cLevi met Sam during a very challenging time is his life,\u201d Erin said. Both Levi and his sister have cystic fibrosis, so after nearly three years of being extra cautious during and after the pandemic, Levi was feeling isolated. \u201cWhen he was matched and signed with Belmont baseball in November 2022, it couldn\u2019t have been a more perfect opportunity for Levi to feel special and like a normal kid,<\/strong>\u201d Erin said. \u201cSam immediately stepped in and organized his teammates and coaches in a series of events to make Levi feel included on the team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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One of Levi\u2019s favorite memories was getting to throw out the first pitch at Belmont\u2019s opening day, which also happened to be Levi\u2019s birthday. \u201cOff the field, Sam plays the role of a big brother, attending Levi\u2019s baseball and basketball games and organizing fun outings, like a Nashville Predators game, Tennessee Titans game, Nashville Sounds game, movies, and restaurants,\u201d Erin said. During Christmastime, Sam went to Levi\u2019s house for a special family dinner. \u201cHe wrote us a sentimental card about having us in his life,\u201d Erin recalled. \u201cAs a special surprise, we had asked Sam to design a new baseball glove for Levi. He had Levi\u2019s name sewn on the glove along with a favorite Bible verse.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cSam and Levi share a love for baseball, food, and sporting events,\u201d Erin said, \u201cLevi\u2019s confidence has improved, and he can feel the support and love of his teammates. He has said it is important to \u2018show up for the team like they\u2019ve showed up for him.\u2019<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Both on the off the field, Sam shows up for Levi, just as Levi has shown up for Sam and his Bruins teammates. \u201cSam is always a text or call away. He comes to Levi\u2019s baseball and basketball games and makes a point to spend time with Levi off the field,\u201d Eric said. \u201cIt\u2019s the moments outside of baseball that are making a difference.\u201d This difference in Levi has permiated into every aspect of his life, making more confident and more himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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