Cancer-free and with a new prosthetic blade, Hampton senior gets back on the baseball field
CBS Pittsburgh
[{'start': '0.640', 'end': '5.279', 'text': 'A young man from Western PA is swinging'}, {'start': '2.720', 'end': '8.240', 'text': 'for the fences on the field and in life.'}, {'start': '5.279', 'end': '10.800', 'text': "KDK's Bob Pumpyanti introduces us to"}, {'start': '8.240', 'end': '12.480', 'text': 'Aiden Hannah. You know, Western'}, {'start': '10.800', 'end': '14.639', 'text': 'Pennsylvania has long been known for'}, {'start': '12.480', 'end': '16.800', 'text': 'producing tough-minded, gritty athletes,'}, {'start': '14.639', 'end': '19.520', 'text': 'many of whom had to overcome adversity'}, {'start': '16.800', 'end': '21.359', 'text': 'to reach great heights. Recently, we'}, {'start': '19.520', 'end': '23.840', 'text': 'found another example of that. A kid'}, {'start': '21.359', 'end': '24.920', 'text': 'from Hampton Township who just refuses'}, {'start': '23.840', 'end': '28.480', 'text': 'to give'}, {'start': '24.920', 'end': '31.119', 'text': 'up. From a very young age, Aiden Hannah'}, {'start': '28.480', 'end': '33.440', 'text': 'was all about baseball. So, I started in'}, {'start': '31.119', 'end': '35.200', 'text': "T-ball age. That's like what, five, six"}, {'start': '33.440', 'end': '37.280', 'text': "years old. And I've been playing ever"}, {'start': '35.200', 'end': '39.360', 'text': 'since. I played like summer ball every'}, {'start': '37.280', 'end': '41.040', 'text': 'year since I can remember. During one of'}, {'start': '39.360', 'end': '42.800', 'text': 'those summer ball tournaments, he'}, {'start': '41.040', 'end': '44.559', 'text': 'noticed something was wrong with his'}, {'start': '42.800', 'end': '46.640', 'text': 'left leg while he was trying to make a'}, {'start': '44.559', 'end': '48.320', 'text': 'play. I was running for it and it was'}, {'start': '46.640', 'end': '49.760', 'text': "like an easy fly ball and I couldn't get"}, {'start': '48.320', 'end': '51.280', 'text': 'there. Like, I could get there all the'}, {'start': '49.760', 'end': '52.960', 'text': "time, but I just couldn't get there. So"}, {'start': '51.280', 'end': '54.640', 'text': 'after that tournament when we returned'}, {'start': '52.960', 'end': '57.039', 'text': 'home, Aiden was like, "Oh, you know, my'}, {'start': '54.640', 'end': '58.320', 'text': 'ankle is really hurting." But then he'}, {'start': '57.039', 'end': '60.079', 'text': "started saying like he really couldn't"}, {'start': '58.320', 'end': '62.879', 'text': 'pick it up. It was almost like the nerve'}, {'start': '60.079', 'end': '65.040', 'text': 'was affected. After initial x-rays were'}, {'start': '62.879', 'end': '67.600', 'text': 'inconclusive, the family sought a second'}, {'start': '65.040', 'end': '70.320', 'text': 'opinion from an orthopedic surgeon. She'}, {'start': '67.600', 'end': '71.760', 'text': 'came into the room and Aiden and I are'}, {'start': '70.320', 'end': '73.280', 'text': 'like, "What\'s wrong?" And she\'s like,'}, {'start': '71.760', 'end': '75.439', 'text': '"You know, you might want to call your'}, {'start': '73.280', 'end': '78.560', 'text': 'husband." And I was like, "What\'s the'}, {'start': '75.439', 'end': '81.360', 'text': 'matter?" And then she said, "Um, you'}, {'start': '78.560', 'end': '86.320', 'text': 'know, you know, he has um'}, {'start': '81.360', 'end': '89.040', 'text': 'his um osteio saroma and Aiden was like,'}, {'start': '86.320', 'end': '90.240', 'text': '"Am I going to be okay?" And you know, I'}, {'start': '89.040', 'end': '91.520', 'text': 'said, "Of course you\'re going to be'}, {'start': '90.240', 'end': '93.119', 'text': "okay. Like, we're going to get through"}, {'start': '91.520', 'end': '95.520', 'text': 'this. We\'re going to figure it out."'}, {'start': '93.119', 'end': '97.360', 'text': 'Aiden endured months of chemotherapy and'}, {'start': '95.520', 'end': '100.400', 'text': 'then surgery, which paid off in the'}, {'start': '97.360', 'end': '103.400', 'text': 'spring of 2023 when he was diagnosed'}, {'start': '100.400', 'end': '103.400', 'text': 'cancerree.'}, {'start': '104.079', 'end': '108.240', 'text': 'Unfortunately, just a few months after'}, {'start': '106.000', 'end': '110.479', 'text': 'ringing that bell, he noticed a problem'}, {'start': '108.240', 'end': '113.040', 'text': 'with his other leg. They found more'}, {'start': '110.479', 'end': '115.680', 'text': 'cancer cells. Another round of chemo'}, {'start': '113.040', 'end': '118.000', 'text': 'pushed that cancer away until a tumor'}, {'start': '115.680', 'end': '120.479', 'text': 'was found back in the original spot on'}, {'start': '118.000', 'end': '123.280', 'text': 'his left leg. And the family was faced'}, {'start': '120.479', 'end': '127.239', 'text': 'with a difficult decision. So, you know,'}, {'start': '123.280', 'end': '130.000', 'text': 'we sat down with him and he essentially'}, {'start': '127.239', 'end': '131.840', 'text': 'decided, you know, I I need to amputate'}, {'start': '130.000', 'end': '133.280', 'text': 'in order to save my life. Yeah. They'}, {'start': '131.840', 'end': '134.879', 'text': 'left it all up to me cuz they said they'}, {'start': '133.280', 'end': '136.640', 'text': "don't want to make me they don't want to"}, {'start': '134.879', 'end': '138.879', 'text': 'have to make the decision for me and'}, {'start': '136.640', 'end': '141.680', 'text': 'then have me live out their decisions.'}, {'start': '138.879', 'end': '144.319', 'text': "Doctors amputated Aiden's leg just below"}, {'start': '141.680', 'end': '146.319', 'text': 'the knee last August. Most kids would'}, {'start': '144.319', 'end': '148.720', 'text': 'have been understandably concerned with'}, {'start': '146.319', 'end': '151.040', 'text': 'what life would be like as an amputee,'}, {'start': '148.720', 'end': '153.040', 'text': 'but not Aiden. Just two months after'}, {'start': '151.040', 'end': '156.920', 'text': "surgery, he walked across Hampton's"}, {'start': '153.040', 'end': '156.920', 'text': 'football field at homecoming.'}, {'start': '159.440', 'end': '163.360', 'text': 'This past winter, he was fitted with a'}, {'start': '161.440', 'end': '165.680', 'text': 'prosthetic blade, which allowed him to'}, {'start': '163.360', 'end': '168.480', 'text': 'start working out again, and it gave him'}, {'start': '165.680', 'end': '170.080', 'text': 'an epiphany. Why cut myself short when I'}, {'start': '168.480', 'end': '171.680', 'text': 'have more time on this baseball field?'}, {'start': '170.080', 'end': '173.200', 'text': 'So, I texted coach on the treadmill and'}, {'start': '171.680', 'end': '174.560', 'text': 'I was like, "You\'re going to see me out'}, {'start': '173.200', 'end': '177.040', 'text': "there. I'm going to train and get out"}, {'start': '174.560', 'end': '179.440', 'text': 'there this spring." Immediately, I'}, {'start': '177.040', 'end': '181.440', 'text': 'almost started crying because I it made'}, {'start': '179.440', 'end': '182.720', 'text': 'me so happy that he was wanting to do'}, {'start': '181.440', 'end': '184.480', 'text': 'that and I was hoping that that was'}, {'start': '182.720', 'end': '185.599', 'text': 'going to be the case. These are all my'}, {'start': '184.480', 'end': '187.040', 'text': 'best friends. I grew up with them'}, {'start': '185.599', 'end': '189.120', 'text': "playing since we were like five and it's"}, {'start': '187.040', 'end': '190.879', 'text': 'just nice to be back out here. He played'}, {'start': '189.120', 'end': '193.200', 'text': 'sparingly throughout the season, but he'}, {'start': '190.879', 'end': '195.760', 'text': 'got the start at first base on senior'}, {'start': '193.200', 'end': '198.800', 'text': 'night. And on his final at bat of his'}, {'start': '195.760', 'end': '204.040', 'text': "final game, Aiden did what he's always"}, {'start': '198.800', 'end': '204.040', 'text': 'done. Rise up to a challenge.'}, {'start': '206.480', 'end': '212.319', 'text': 'Good boy. So proud of him for overcoming'}, {'start': '209.920', 'end': '214.400', 'text': 'all these obstacles and just going back'}, {'start': '212.319', 'end': '216.879', 'text': 'out there and doing what he loves.'}, {'start': '214.400', 'end': '218.720', 'text': 'proving to people that you can do hard'}, {'start': '216.879', 'end': '220.640', 'text': 'things, that you can overcome any'}, {'start': '218.720', 'end': '223.040', 'text': "obstacle, and he's not done fighting"}, {'start': '220.640', 'end': '224.959', 'text': 'yet.'}, {'start': '223.040', 'end': '227.040', 'text': "I'd say don't let anybody set your own"}, {'start': '224.959', 'end': '228.239', 'text': 'standards and like you set your own'}, {'start': '227.040', 'end': '230.400', 'text': "standards. Don't let anybody tell you"}, {'start': '228.239', 'end': '232.319', 'text': "you can't do something cuz I've proved"}, {'start': '230.400', 'end': '234.560', 'text': 'that you can do really anything when you'}, {'start': '232.319', 'end': '236.080', 'text': 'set your mind to it and get back to what'}, {'start': '234.560', 'end': '238.879', 'text': "you love. Like there's nothing stopping"}, {'start': '236.080', 'end': '240.640', 'text': 'you.'}, {'start': '238.879', 'end': '242.560', 'text': "And if that wasn't moving enough,"}, {'start': '240.640', 'end': '244.799', 'text': 'consider this. Throughout his treatment,'}, {'start': '242.560', 'end': '246.480', 'text': 'Aiden realized that he was more'}, {'start': '244.799', 'end': '248.799', 'text': 'fortunate than many other kids at that'}, {'start': '246.480', 'end': '251.040', 'text': "hospital. So, he created the Aiden's"}, {'start': '248.799', 'end': '252.760', 'text': 'Helping Hands Foundation, which already'}, {'start': '251.040', 'end': '255.519', 'text': 'has raised, listen to this, over'}, {'start': '252.760', 'end': '257.280', 'text': '$200,000 to help families pay off'}, {'start': '255.519', 'end': '259.759', 'text': 'medical expenses and other bills they'}, {'start': '257.280', 'end': '263.479', 'text': "may have. If you'd like to help Aiden in"}, {'start': '259.759', 'end': '264.960', 'text': 'his quest to pay it forward, visit'}, {'start': '263.479', 'end': '268.960', 'text': 'aidensshelpings.com. This is Bob'}, {'start': '264.960', 'end': '268.960', 'text': 'Pompiani, KDKA Sports.'}]