A six-time Emmy-Award winning journalist and a self-professed weather fanatic, Kaley O’Kelley is passionate about storytelling.
When fans head to Chase Field, they expect baseball.What many may not realize is that some of that support is also helping families across Arizona find hope in some of life’s hardest moments.The Arizona Diamondbacks recently announced they have surpassed $100 million in charitable giving over the past 31 years, supporting hundreds of nonprofit organizations across the state.
One of those organizations is the Foundation for Blind Children.For Max Ashton, that mission is deeply personal.“My parents figured out that I was visually impaired when I was just a baby,” Ashton said.Max was just three months old when he was diagnosed with a rare genetic eye disorder that left him mostly blind.But as he tells it, his story never started with limits. It started with help.Jared Kittelson, CEO of the Foundation for Blind Children, says that early support matters.“We just want to wrap our arms around those families... tell them like, hey, we’ve been there, and it’s gonna be okay,” Kittelson said.He says the goal is to remind parents that a diagnosis does not erase a child’s future.“The dreams stay the same,” Kittelson said. “How we get there changes.”For Max, that mindset helped shape the rest of his life.“So much of what we do is about setting expectations — because when people see someone as visually impaired, their bar is low,” Ashton said.Today, Max works as a communications specialist at the Foundation for Blind Children. It's a place, he says, that helped build the foundation for his own success. It also helped show him what was possible.“All my life, I wouldn’t have ever thought I could do something like climb Mount Kilimanjaro,” Ashton said. “It’s still such a crazy thing to have ever thought possible.”That is only part of his story.Max has also swum to Alcatraz and hiked the Grand Canyon rim to rim in a single day.At the Foundation for Blind Children, leaders say Diamondbacks support helps families in very real ways, from resources at home to events that help parents and children feel less isolated. Alissa Eromae, the foundation’s director of early intervention, family support, and research, said families often arrive overwhelmed and scared, and that connection can change everything. “A big part of what we do is build community,” she said.Eromae also says support tied to the Diamondbacks helps fund community events and parent nights out that give families a chance to build friendships and feel less alone.For Max, that kind of giving is one more reason to love his hometown team.“The D-backs being willing to be a part of their community in such deep and profound ways is just such a cool thing to be able to point to as a fan,” Ashton said. “And I love them for that.”The bigger point is this: When fans show up at Chase Field, the Diamondbacks are also showing up for Arizona.
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