Cincinnati Reds outfielder Chris Heisey took extra time to talk directly to fans and have pictures taken with them during a special signing event Thursday at the Sports Gallery in West Chester.
One fan in particular felt a special connection to the 26-year-old baseball player. Amy Weeks and Heisey shared an emotional conversation that centered on Lou Gehrig’s disease, which took the lives of Weeks’ 46-year-old brother-in-law, Jim Kerr, and Heisey’s father, Craig, in 2007.
“Anytime somebody talks about the disease, it is tough for me to hear because I lost my father, but it was good to hear it … she was a little emotional and I get emotional too every time I talk about it,” Heisey said.
Weeks first learned about Heisey’s connection to Lou Gehrig’s disease when he caught the ceremonial first pitch during last season’s “4 ALS” day, which was created by Major League Baseball to honor Gehrig’s memory, bring awareness and help fight the disease.
>>>PHOTOS OF CHRIS HEISEY IN WEST CHESTER<<<
An emotional Weeks enjoyed meeting her family’s favorite ballplayer and plans to send her signed photo of Heisey to her brother-in-law’s family in Cleveland.
She wasn’t the only one, however, who enjoyed meeting the Reds outfielder, a line of more than hundred people waited outside the sports memorabilia shop during the event. In total 177 people met Heisey, who stayed passed the 8:30 p.m. deadline to make sure everyone had an autograph. He did this, despite running late and making his wife wait at the Kenny Chesney concert at Riverbend.
“It is great to meet the people, who come out and come support us every night. Without them I wouldn’t be in Cincinnati playing baseball,” Heisey said. “I really appreciate everything that they say. They always have nice things to say and it is good to meet them.”
Earlier this season, the Sports Gallery also had signings with fellow Reds players Aroldis Chapman, Drew Stubbs, Jonny Gomes and Bill Bray.
For more information, call 513-759-4256 or visit the Sports Gallery website.
The Sports Gallery is located 7967 Cincinnati-Dayton Road (near the Tylersville intersection).
