NEW BRITAIN -- For a second year straight, Bryce Weiler, co-founder of the Beautiful Lives Project, has organized pregame events at the stadium, inviting sports fans with disabilities on the field to play ball with the pros.
New Britain Bees' owner, Anthony Lacovone said Bryce's drive to make sports accessible to everyone is inspiring.
"Bryce reached out to me, his first sentence got me an email to me which was I'm a blind 26-year-old color commentator for baseball and I was like wow, I want to help others like me come closer to sports so for me it was a no-brainer to start the program."
Weiler has worked on the Bees' stadium so that they are now able accommodate fans beyond the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Bees offer noise-canceling headphones, personal translators for deaf fans if need be, even braille concession menus.
Weiler said the Bees' stadium is the best stadium that he's ever been to.
It's an example of hospitality the Beautiful Lives Project hopes to inspire across the country.
"Just to expand the program." Lacovone said. "Letting people know, letting your field be available, letting your players be available, from a professional sports perspective, to disabled individuals is a big deal for them but I think you'll find out it's a bigger deal for you."
Weiler has a message for participants.
"I hope that they learned there's people out here who really care for them and want them to have the best life possible and that if they try to do whatever they want to do in life if they fight for it as hard as I can hopefully they'll dreams will be able to come true."
The Beautiful Lives Project can’t do it without the help and support of others. They are always looking for enthusiastic individuals and organizations to help plan and execute programs and events.
If you’d like to help, or have ideas you’d like to share, they would love to hear from you.