LARGO, Fla. — Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Ryan Pepiot took a break from the mound to share his love of reading with children who are visually impaired at Lighthouse of Pinellas. It’s all part of the team’s community outreach program, Reading with the Rays.
Pepiot may be a star out the diamond, but during Reading with the Rays, it was the children who took center stage.
“To be able to read braille and read it just as fast as I can when I’m looking at the pages it’s really impressive and just walking in here you just get a smile on your face and the kids really bring a lot of joy,” Pepiot said.
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These students say, having the opportunity to read alongside a big leaguer is something they’ll cherish forever.
“It’s very exciting because one, they are reaching out to young kids but also two, they are reaching out to people with disabilities, and I feel that is a very cool thing and to be with such humble people is really inspiring and really exciting,” student Alan Bray said.
“No, they are kind of inspiring me, the extra hard work that they must put in to go about their daily life, the things that we take for granted, and still live life normally and enjoy life, that’s as inspiring as it gets,” Pepiot said.
Rays Broadcaster Enrique Oliu, who does color commentating for their Spanish broadcast, knows first-hand the challenges of being visually impaired and how impactful an event like this can be. Growing up in Venezuela, books in braille weren’t even available.
“Just to see that you were here to push somebody along it’s an amazing thing to me,” Oliu said. “That’s probably the most amazing thing about what I do, not that I’m a broadcaster, I mean I embrace it and it’s a wonderful thing, but it gives me a platform to go forward and say, ‘if me, why not you.’”
Lighthouse of Pinellas says that the opportunity for these students to meet someone like them, who has gone on to accomplish such a remarkable career, can be life changing.
“And it gives them something to look forward to and a goal and realizing that life has no limits, you are only as limited as you limit yourself, so these students are capable of growing up and doing any and everything that they want,” said Danielle Johnson, with Lighthouse of Pinellas.
Student Malia Bassant said she appreciates the team, especially Oliu, taking the time to meet with her and her friends.
“I really appreciate it, there are a lot of us who might need that boost of confidence including myself and just seeing that he went to the same school as I went to and accomplished something he loves to do,” Bassant said.
The Rays even handed out special hats, with braille on the brim, so there’s no doubt who these kids are cheering for.
“It comes with a little label that celebrates disability pride, and each color celebrates a different disability, and just accepting it, be proud of it, don’t let it hold you back,” Johnson said.
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