When we were at the Red Sox game a couple of weeks ago it was Disability Awareness Night and many of the night’s activities were centered around children and people with disabilities. Right before the game started a softball team of individuals living with downs syndrome took the field and were able to play for a few outs which, I’m sure, was the highlight of their season. When it was time for the National Anthem one of them stayed on the field, stepped up to the mic and started singing. (If you’ve been to a Sox game before you know they show the lyrics to all of the songs played so the words were right up there on the big screen next to the video that was showing people in the crowd.)

It wasn’t immediately obvious that the person singing had downs syndrome but his tendency to get “stuck” on the last syllable of the word had some people glancing around trying to figure it out. Well, right in the middle of, “And the rockets red glare…” they showed him singing up on the big screen, and he happened to be glancing up at the same time, saw his face up there and CRACKED UP! It was the funniest thing I have ever seen, the whole stadium laughed a little and quieted down so he could finish. Except he couldn’t. He got the giggles, tried to pick it up, but lost his place in the music. This is where the magic of Fenway comes in: (I’m sure this stuff happens elsewhere, but to be a part of something like this just gives you chills.) They cut the music, kept the mic on and the entire stadium, at once it seemed, started singing along with this boy until he could find his place again. Then at the end, everyone stopped singing and let him have a solo for the grand finale. He couldn’t have been more proud when they showed him again on the big screen and he finished without missing a beat.

There was not a dry eye in the house.