NH Chronicle: Home at Last: Zeek

RIGHT FAMILY AND IS HOME AT LAST. HERE’S THE TICKET FOR A FUN DAY WITH 14 YEAR OLD ZEKE AT THE BALLPARK FOR A NEW HAMPSHIRE FISHER CATS GAME. FIRST STOP RIGHT ONTO THE FIELD. READY VIP TREATMENT, ONE OF ZEKE’S TALLEST SUPPORTERS, RJ, IS ALONG FOR THE EXPERIENCE AND THE TEAM MASCOT, FUNGO, NOT FAR BEHIND. ZEKE GEARS UP WITH A TEAM JERSEY. THANK YOU BRO, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU. AND A GREETING FROM CASEY THE BAT DOG. I LOVE DOGS. ZEKE EVEN JOINS THE GROUNDS CREW TO GET HOME PLATE READY. THERE WE GO. VISIT IF YOU CAN FIND THAT SOMEONE OUT THERE THAT CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY TEACH HIM EVERYTHING THAT HE’S SUPPOSED TO LEARN. WAY. EVERYTHING THAT HE MISSED OUT BEFORE. AND I THINK HE WILL. HE WILL DO GOOD. AJ IS AT ZEKE’S SIDE ON THIS JOURNEY TO FIND A HOME AT LAST. HOW ARE YOU FEELING? GOOD. ME TOO BRO, IT’S ALWAYS GOOD MAN TO BE WITH YOU, BRO. HE’S A YOUTH COUNSELOR AT MOUNT PROSPECT ACADEMY AND BASKETBALL COACH? YES, HE PLAYED PROFESSIONALLY OVERSEAS AND BONDED WITH ZEKE ON THE COURT. WELL, I MET ZEKE WHEN HE FIRST GOT THERE AND HE WAS LIKE, YOU PRETTY TALL. I CAN BEAT YOU AT ONE ON ONE. I’M LIKE, WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU TRY. THE GYM IS DOWNSTAIRS. LET’S GO. I DIDN’T LET HIM SCORE. YOU KNOW, I WAS A PROFESSIONAL. YOU GOT TO MAKE SURE, LIKE THEY KNOW WHAT’S COMING. HE TOLD EVERYBODY HE BEAT ME. THERE ON THE SAME TEAM. HOPING ZEKE FINDS HIS FOREVER FAMILY. HOW YOU DOING? GOOD. YOU? PRETTY GOOD. OH, YEAH. THAT’S GREAT. BEING STEADY WITH SOMEONE. A FAMILY THAT CAN TEACH HIM ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE, WILL BE VERY GOOD AT THE END. YOU KNOW, IN THE LONG RUN. YOU GOT OUR FRIEND ZEKE WITH US HERE. YEAH. OH, GOOD. HOW YOU DOING? GOOD. YOU GOOD? DENNIS. ZEKE. TYLER. JOSIAH. IS THIS YOUR FIRST, UH, PLATE MEETING WITH UMPIRES? YEAH. COME ON IN. WE WON’T BITE YOU. WE PROMISE? YEAH. GET IN THE BOX. DON’T BE AFRAID. YEAH, YEAH. LET ME SHOW YOU HOW IT’S DONE HERE. YEAH. ONCE HE DOES GET THAT CONFIDENCE, HE TRULY SHINES. AND I THINK THAT’S STARTING TO COME OUT A LITTLE BIT WHEN HE WAS ON THE FIELD. UM, I COULD SEE THE JOY. HE LOVES TO BE A ROLE MODEL. HE’S TAKEN A LOT OF HIS PEERS UNDER HIS WING, GOTTEN THEM TO KIND OF COME OUT OF THEIR SHELL. UM, TRY NEW THINGS. HE’S GOTTEN THEM TO TRY SPORTS WITH HIM. SO HE’S REALLY LIKE A TEAM LEADER. YES. YES HE IS. HE IS. AND I THINK THAT ALSO MAKES HIM, UM, PROUD. CHECKUPS. ENROLLED IN YOUR CHOICE OF PLAYER. THERE YOU GO. NOW YOU CAN THROW IT OUT. GOT SOME ROSIN ON THERE, BABY. THERE YOU GO. GOOD. THANKS, GEORGE. APPRECIATE IT. HE’S DISCOVERING WHAT HE TRULY WANTS IN LIFE. UM, HE’S GONE THROUGH SO MUCH THAT HE’S BEEN RESILIENT TO. SO I THINK IT’S REALLY HIS TIME TO START SHINING AND SHOWING US WHAT HE CAN DO. I WANT THIS PLACE TO BE VERY LOUD. LET’S HEAR IT FOR ZEKE. HE. WE’LL SEE IT, MY FRIEND. HEY, ZEKE, ANOTHER BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE. HE’S ALSO SHARED THAT HE IS READY TO OPEN HIS HEART. UM, AND LET SOME OF THE POTENTIAL FAMILIES IN, UM, GET TO KNOW HIM. HE WANTS TO TRULY BE A PART OF SOMETHING, AND HE WANTS TO BELONG. UM, HE WANTS THAT FAMILY THAT WILL LOVE HIM NO MATTER WHAT HIM. THE, UM, OF THE PLAY. THREE. TWO. ONE. PLAY BALL, PLAY BALL AND GO. FISHER. CATS. JUST BEING PART OF A TEAM I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR HIM. I THINK HE REALLY ENJOYS IT. HE LOVES BEING PART OF THE TEAM, DOESN’T HAVE TO STAND OUT, BUT HE LIKES TO. HE LOVES SPORTS. HE’S EXUBERANT. HE’S A COLLECTOR, LOVES COLLECTING SHOES. HE COLLECTS BASEBALL CARDS. UM, HE HAS A GOOD HEART. UM, AND IF YOU SHOW UP FOR HIM, HE SHOWS UP FOR YOU. ZEKE DESERVES A LOVING FAMILY BECAUSE HE CAN GIVE SO MUCH LOVE. HE’S A GREAT KID. IN THE PRESS BOX, HE HAS TO HIT IT INSIDE. AND IF HE DOESN’T LIKE ON THE HITS THE OUTSIDE OF THESE LINES, THAT’S A BALL. OH, I GET IT. ZEKE TAKES THE TIME TO EXPLAIN EACH AT BAT TO RJ. SO IF YOU GUYS ONE MORE STRIKE, HE’S OUT A TEAM PLAYER ALL AROUND. AND I HOPE LIKE WHOEVER’S WATCHING THIS. ZEKE IS AN AMAZING KID.