• Stories by Subject
  • Stories by State
  • COMMENTS/SUGGESTIONS

Lindsay Dennis to Celebrate Home Run For Life Saturday with OKC Dodgers

August 22, 2017

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma City Dodgers and INTEGRIS conclude the 2017 “Home Run for Life” series Saturday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark by recognizing Lindsay Dennis, who sustained severe head and spinal cord injuries in a May 2016 car accident.

Dennis broke vertebrae at the top of her neck – an injury many people are unable to survive – and also suffered broken vertebrae in her middle back, fractured her ribs, endured swelling on her brain and experienced paralysis in her lower body.

She returned to teaching this month, about 15 months after her accident. Dennis currently relies on a wheelchair for mobility, but took her first steps after the accident this spring and continues her recovery thanks to the care she receives at Jim Thorpe Rehabilitation at INTEGRIS Southwest Medical Center.

“Home Run For Life” recognizes individuals in the Oklahoma City community who have overcome a significant medical event with the help of their families, physicians and health care professionals. To symbolize the end of their battle against adversity, honorees take a home run “lap” around the bases during an in-game ceremony.

“We are proud to continue the Home Run For Life Series this season and honor some remarkable individuals in our community who have battled exceptional challenges with their health,” OKC Dodgers President/General Manager Michael Byrnes said. “Their resolve and courage offer great inspiration for us all and we are pleased to join with INTEGRIS to recognize their triumphs.”

Lindsay Dennis and her family were traveling from Moore to Shawnee in celebration after the last day of the school year in May 2016.

Dennis had recently accepted a teaching position in Shawnee and wanted to purchase a T-shirt from her new school and show her family where she would be working the following school year.

But her family of four never made it to Shawnee that day. The Dennis family minivan was stopped in traffic on the interstate when they were rear-ended by another vehicle traveling approximately 70 miles per hour.

The accident sent Dennis, her husband Daniel and their two young sons Parker and Noah to the hospital. Dennis remained in the hospital from May 20 until early June. The first time she regained consciousness after the accident was June 3. She awoke in a brace that enveloped her body in rigid plastic from her head to her waist and she learned her lower body was paralyzed.

She had to relearn how to do everything from sitting up to getting dressed. She also had to learn how to swallow, eat and drink once again.

When Dennis arrived at Jim Thorpe Rehabilitation at INTEGRIS Southwest Medical Center in June 2016, she was wearing the immobilizing brace over the top half of her body, had a tube in her stomach, faint voice and was completely dependent on others for her care.

“Being at Jim Thorpe they had so many resources and so many people that all you had to do was ask,” Dennis said. “I think they’ve seen just about everything. They really made it seem not so overwhelming because you could get lost in all of the feelings that you have to go through to get through something like this. They make it manageable.”

She stayed at INTEGRIS Jim Thorpe Rehabilitation as an inpatient through July 2016 and has since returned on a regular basis as an outpatient. The first time she took a step after her accident was in March 2017.

“I try not to let it get to me so much, but it was the first time ever at the end of therapy that I broke down in tears – and they were happy tears,” she said. “When all of this happened, you think it’s not going to be a possibility, and then it was a good possibility.”

Her focus recently has been on resuming her career and working full time as a high school English and journalism teacher – something she has been looking forward to for more than a year. She returned to the classroom earlier this month.

“It has been an interesting journey to say the least,” Dennis said. “You learn to appreciate a lot of small things that you really take for granted in the long run. You can focus all on the negative and all on the bad, but we’ve had a lot of blessings and a lot of amazing people and opportunities like this, that it makes you see the good in people.”

To read Dennis’ full story, visit okcdodgers.com.

The Dodgers open their final homestand of the 2017 regular season tonight at 7:05 p.m. against the Omaha Storm Chasers at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark on a $2 Thursday featuring $2 soda, water and beer from a line of Pepsi and Budweiser products. The series against Omaha continues at 7:05 p.m. Friday with Hometown Heroes Military Celebration Night presented by RSM and Folds of Honor. Fireworks presented by Francis Tuttle are scheduled to follow the game.

Watch Lindsay Dennis complete her “Home Run for Life” following the third inning of Saturday’s 7:05 p.m. game against Omaha. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the first 1,000 fans will receive a Cody Bellinger T-shirt. The OKC Disc Dogs will also perform and fans will have the opportunity to bid on game-used, game-worn autographed OKC Dodgers memorabilia during the Clubhouse Collectibles silent auction presented by The Oklahoman. Sunday’s 6:05 p.m. game against Omaha falls on a Chaparral Energy Family Sunday.

The homestand then continues with a four-game series against the New Orleans Baby Cakes beginning at 7:05 p.m. Monday. The regular season concludes at 7:05 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31 against New Orleans on a $2 Thursday and special Throwback Thursday. Oklahoma City will take the field in Oklahoma City 89ers gear and the players’ and coaches’ jerseys will be auctioned off to benefit the OKC Dodgers Baseball Foundation.

A very limited number of tickets remain for Friday and Saturday nights, but tickets for all of the other remaining home games of the regular season are available through the OKC Dodgers ticket office located on South Mickey Mantle Drive, by phone at (405) 218-1000, or by visiting okcdodgers.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

Tagged as : Home Run for Life, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City Dodgers, Pacific Coast League, Public Recognition/Celebrations/Events { }

Welcome to clubphilanthropy.com!

Minor League Baseball clubs have been actively involved in their communities for many years. For the first time, their activities and contributions will be chronicled on this site.

Clubs don’t publicize all of their activity, so these stories represent a mere fraction of the contributions MiLB clubs make to their communities every year.

Categories

  • ►Aberdeen Ironbirds (3)
  • ►Akron RubberDucks (21)
  • ►Albuquerque Isotopes (14)
  • ►Altoona Curve (12)
  • ►Amarillo Sod Poodles (5)
  • ►Asheville Tourists (3)
  • ►Auburn Doubledays (4)
  • ►Augusta GreenJackets (18)
  • ►Batavia Muckdogs (16)
  • ►Beloit Snappers (8)
  • ►Biloxi Shuckers (15)
  • ►Binghamtom Rumble Ponies (4)
  • ►Birmingham Barons (15)
  • ►Bluefield Blue Jays (4)
  • ►Boise Hawks (6)
  • ►Bowie Baysox (22)
  • ►Bowling Green Hot Rods (10)
  • ►Bradenton Marauders (19)
  • ►Bristol Pirates (3)
  • ►Brooklyn Cyclones (16)
  • ►Buffalo Bisons (26)
  • ►Burlington Bees (5)
  • ►Burlington Royals (2)
  • ►Carolina Mudcats (15)
  • ►Cedar Rapids Kernels (37)
  • ►Charleston RiverDogs (85)
  • ►Charlotte Knights (24)
  • ►Charlotte Stone Crabs (6)
  • ►Chattanooga Lookouts (2)
  • ►Clearwater Threshers (29)
  • ►Clinton LumberKings (5)
  • ►Colorado Springs Sky Sox (20)
  • ►Columbia Fireflies (22)
  • ►Columbus Clippers (2)
  • ►Connecticut Tigers (14)
  • ►Corpus Christi Hooks (27)
  • ►Danville Braves (15)
  • ►Dayton Dragons (108)
  • ►Daytona Tortugas (16)
  • ►Delmarva Shorebirds (49)
  • ►Down East Wood Ducks (2)
  • ►Dunedin Blue Jays (14)
  • ►Durham Bulls (15)
  • ►El Paso Chihuahuas (17)
  • ►Elizabethton Twins (4)
  • ►Erie SeaWolves (10)
  • ►Eugene Emeralds (7)
  • ►Everett AquaSox (8)
  • ►Fayetteville Woodpeckers (8)
  • ►Florida Fire Frogs (3)
  • ►Fort Myers Miracle (25)
  • ►Fort Wayne TinCaps (37)
  • ►Frederick Keys (19)
  • ►Fredericksburg Nationals (28)
  • ►Fresno Grizzlies (15)
  • ►Frisco RoughRiders (23)
  • ►Grand Junction Rockies (2)
  • ►Great Falls Voyagers (2)
  • ►Great Lakes Loons (25)
  • ►Greeneville Reds (2)
  • ►Greensboro Grasshoppers (5)
  • ►Greenville Drive (84)
  • ►Gwinnett Stripers (41)
  • ►Hagerstown Suns (3)
  • ►Harrisburg Senators (13)
  • ►Hartford Yard Goats (5)
  • ►Hickory Crawdads (24)
  • ►Hillsboro Hops (5)
  • ►Hudson Valley Renegades (7)
  • ►Idaho Falls Chukars (7)
  • ►Indianapolis Indians (21)
  • ►Inland Empire 66ers (13)
  • ►Iowa Cubs (5)
  • ►Jackson Generals (9)
  • ►Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (24)
  • ►Jersey Shore BlueClaws (106)
  • ►Johnson City Cardinals (4)
  • ►Jupiter Hammerheads (1)
  • ►Kane County Cougars (41)
  • ►Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (16)
  • ►Kingsport Mets (1)
  • ►Lake County Captains (8)
  • ►Lake Elsinore Storm (4)
  • ►Lakeland Flying Tigers (12)
  • ►Lancaster JetHawks (7)
  • ►Lansing Lugnuts (1)
  • ►Las Vegas Aviators (8)
  • ►Lehigh Valley IronPigs (35)
  • ►Lexington Legends (69)
  • ►Louisville Bats (14)
  • ►Lowell Spinners (15)
  • ►Lynchburg Hillcats (17)
  • ►Mahoning Valley Scrappers (27)
  • ►Memphis Redbirds (5)
  • ►Midland RockHounds (5)
  • ►MiLB (31)
  • ►Mississippi Braves (19)
  • ►Missoula Paddleheads (17)
  • ►Mobile BayBears (7)
  • ►Modesto Nuts (9)
  • ►Montgomery Biscuits (2)
  • ►Myrtle Beach Pelicans (35)
  • ►Nashville Sounds (19)
  • ►New Hampshire Fisher Cats (30)
  • ►New Orleans Baby Cakes (5)
  • ►Norfolk Tides (15)
  • ►Northwest Arkansas Naturals (41)
  • ►Norwich Sea Unicorns (1)
  • ▼Oklahoma City Dodgers (53)
    • OKC Dodgers Baseball Foundation Participating in MiLB CommUNITY First Campaign
    • OKC Dodgers and LifeShare of Oklahoma Encourage Organ Donation Through Continued Partnership in 2020
    • Annual OKC Dodgers High School Baseball Series Returns This Week
    • Deadline Approaching for OKC Dodgers Rookie League Registration
    • OKC Dodgers Announce Plans to Honor 25th Anniversary of Oklahoma City Bombing
    • OKC Dodgers Hosting Annual Job Fair February 27 & 29
    • Registration Now Open For 2020 National Anthem Tryouts
    • OKC Dodgers and MidFirst Bank Present "Pack the Park Pink" T-shirt Design Contest
    • Registration Open for OKC Dodgers Rookie League 2020 Season
    • Free STEM-Based OKC Dodgers MVP Program Enters Fourth Year
    • OKC Dodgers Offering Community Match Ticket Sale During Thanksgiving Week
    • Makynlee Culbertson to Celebrate "Home Run For Life" with OKC Dodgers Friday
    • OKC Dodgers and LifeShare of Oklahoma Partner to Encourage Organ Donation
    • OKC Dodgers Baseball Foundation Hosting Trivia Night March 30
    • OKC Dodgers Baseball Foundation Helps Provide Winter Coats to Area Elementary Students
    • Paul Ferguson to Celebrate "Home Run For Life" Friday with OKC Dodgers
    • OBI All-American Blood Drive Saturday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark
    • Emily Rose Hollins to Celebrate "Home Run For Life" Saturday with OKC Dodgers
    • OKC Dodgers and Kimray Partner to Create Kimray Kids Program
    • OKC Dodgers and OHSO Aim to ENDUI with "Road to the Show" Promotion
    • Culmination of OKC Dodgers MVP Program Presented by Devon Energy Saturday
    • OKC Dodgers Host Hometown Heroes Military Celebration Night Friday
    • Matthew Mattocks to Celebrate "Home Run For Life" Friday with OKC Dodgers
    • OKC Dodgers Partner with LifeShare of Oklahoma to Encourage Organ Donation
    • Stacie Daniel to Celebrate "Home Run For Life" Saturday with OKC Dodgers
    • Deadline Approaching For Area Teachers to Sign Up For MVP Program
    • OKC Dodgers and Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Announce Formation of OKC Dodgers Rookie League
    • OKC Dodgers to Host Free Child Car Seat Check Saturday
    • Lindsay Dennis to Celebrate Home Run For Life Saturday with OKC Dodgers
    • OKC Dodgers to Host Hometown Heroes Military Celebration Night Friday
    • Dodgers and MidFirst Bank to "Pack the Park Pink" Friday as Part of 20th Season Celebration Weekend
    • Erik Macke to Celebrate "Home Run For Life" Friday
    • OBI All-American Blood Drive Saturday in Bricktown
    • Baby Cakes, EJGH team up for Scalise blood drive
    • Staci Johnson to Celebrate "Home Run For Life" Saturday
    • MVP Program Rewards STEM Achievements of Local Students
    • OKC Dodgers to Host Hometown Heroes Military Celebration Night Friday
    • Brandi Rutherford to Celebrate "Home Run For Life" Friday
    • OKC Dodgers and American Fidelity to Honor All-Stars in Civic Service
    • OKC Dodgers to Honor Esurance Rising Star Students Program Winner
    • OKC Dodgers and OHSO Aim to ENDUI Through "Road to the Show" Promotion
    • Teague Moore to Celebrate "Home Life For Life" Saturday with OKC Dodgers
    • OKC Dodgers Hosting Fan Fest and CommUNITY Run Saturday
    • OKC Dodgers Introduce Inaugural CommUNITY Run
    • OKC Dodgers to Host Free Car Seat Check Saturday
    • Dodgers to Honor Girl Scouts Western Oklahoma as Chesapeake Community All-Stars
    • Kela Robinson Celebrates "Home Run For Life" Opening Night with the OKC Dodgers
    • OKC Dodgers Announce Faith Night
    • "Anchor the Anchors" Child Car Seat Event Saturday
    • RedHawks Join Greater Oklahoma City Sports Consortium
    • United Way Pancake Breakfast
    • All-American Blood Drive
    • The Heart Walk
  • ►Omaha Storm Chasers (45)
  • ►Orem Owlz (3)
  • ►Palm Beach Cardinals (3)
  • ►Pawtucket Red Sox (67)
  • ►Pensacola Blue Wahoos (30)
  • ►Peoria Chiefs (9)
  • ►Portland Sea Dogs (39)
  • ►Princeton Rays (7)
  • ►Pulaski Yankees (17)
  • ►Quad Cities River Bandits (22)
  • ►Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (7)
  • ►Reading Fightin Phils (56)
  • ►Reno Aces (25)
  • ►Richmond Flying Squirrels (27)
  • ►Rochester Red Wings (21)
  • ►Rocket City Trash Pandas (3)
  • ►Rocky Mountain Vibes (2)
  • ►Rome Braves (26)
  • ►Round Rock Express (30)
  • ►Sacramento River Cats (15)
  • ►Salem Red Sox (12)
  • ►Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (8)
  • ►Salt Lake Bees (37)
  • ►San Antonio Missions (7)
  • ►San Jose Giants (37)
  • ►Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (46)
  • ►South Bend Cubs (40)
  • ►Spokane Indians (23)
  • ►Springfield Cardinals (32)
  • ►St. Lucie Mets (12)
  • ►State College Spikes (22)
  • ►Staten Island Yankees (16)
  • ►Stockton Ports (17)
  • ►Syracuse Mets (10)
  • ►Tacoma Rainiers (4)
  • ►Tampa Tarpons (34)
  • ►Tennessee Smokies (20)
  • ►Toledo Mud Hens (45)
  • ►Trenton Thunder (21)
  • ►Tri-City Dust Devils (1)
  • ►Tri-City ValleyCats (28)
  • ►Tulsa Drillers (19)
  • ►Vancouver Canadians (25)
  • ►Vermont Lake Monsters (22)
  • ►Visalia Rawhide (5)
  • ►West Michigan Whitecaps (5)
  • ►West Virginia Black Bears (1)
  • ►West Virginia Power (11)
  • ►Williamsport Crosscutters (40)
  • ►Wilmington Blue Rocks (27)
  • ►Winston-Salem Dash (25)
  • ►Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (58)
  • ►Worcester Red Sox (2)

Archives

  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009

© 2021 · clubphilanthropy.com