Family gets special KU day at the K

Tyler Bresette may have a future on the mound. The six year old threw out the first pitch of the Royals game on Sunday afternoon against Washington. His older brother, Joe (13), was the catcher.

Tyler toed the pitching rubber and delivered a strike with his brother on the other end.

The Bresette family lost their son Luke in a tragic accident in an airport in Alabama last March. An airport sign fell on Luke and other people at the airport. Heather, the mother, also suffered injuries along with Sam and Tyler.

The Bresette's already had plans to attend the Royals game on Sunday because it was Heather's birthday. Ryan Bresette, the father, said their plans were altered when he received a voice mail from Kansas head coach Charlie Weis on August 14.

"I had my phone turned off that day," Ryan said. "So when I listened to the message I knew right away who it was. I'm a big Notre Dame fan and being in Kansas City I knew his voice. He wanted us to be his guests at the Royals game."

Bresette talked with his wife about the offer and accepted. Sunday was KU Day at the K.

"The kids were pretty excited about it," he said.

But the offer was about to get better. The following Tuesday Bresette saw a call coming in from a familiar number. He thought the plans were all taken care of and set up so he didn't know what the call could be about.

"I was just outside my office and I looked down and saw a 785 number," Ryan said. "It was Charlie Weis and he wanted to know what two members of my family would want to throw out the first pitch at the Royals game. I thought it showed a lot about Charlie Weis and you hear about what he does off the field for people. He said the day of the accident he was in an airport coming back from Florida and watching it all. When he found out we were from Kansas City he wanted to do something."

When someone throws out the first pitch they can have a Royals player be the catcher or provide one. Bresette decided to have Tyler throw it out to his bigger brother, Joe. After the first pitch they spent time with Weis at the game as his guest.

Soon the Bresette children will all have been part of pre-game activities. Their daughter Anna did the coin flip at the FC Kansas City women's professional soccer game. On Thursday Sam, 9, will throw out the first pass at the Chiefs game against the Packers.

"All of the kids will have been involved in something now," Ryan said. "Today was surreal to walk out there with Heather and the kids. We had a lot of family there. But it is bittersweet. I wish at times we were just a normal family with five kids and not getting all of this. But I know Luke was smiling down on us and we know he was there."