"I don't know many adults that can handle half of his life on a day-to-day basis," his mother said
While most 8-year-olds dream to throw a baseball on a professional field, this boy's ceremonial first pitch is a major feat considering that just one year ago, he had no hands at all.
Read: 8-Year-Old Boy Becomes Youngest Patient to Receive Double-Hand Transplant
Zion Harvey, 8, the first child in the world to receive a double hand transplant, was invited to throw the ceremonial first pitch at Tuesday night's Baltimore Orioles game at Camden Yards.
Zion Harvey, the first child in the world to undergo a bilateral hand transplant, throwing out tonight's 1st pitch. pic.twitter.com/eD60wb9Co4
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) August 2, 2016
Zion could be seen in footage shared by the Orioles, strutting on the field before throwing the ball to centerfielder Adam Jones to kick off their game against the Texas Rangers.
Tonight, Zion Harvey, the first child in the world to undergo a bilateral hand transplant, threw the first pitch.https://t.co/wuk5Qsr90Q
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) August 3, 2016
The impressive endeavor follows rigorous hand therapy at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where he received his double hand transplant in July of last year.
"I don't know many adults that can handle half of his life on a day-to-day basis," his mother said in a previous interview with the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
The procedure was conducted by 40 doctors and nurses in a surgery that lasted 10 hours.
Zion had his hands and feet amputated following a life-threatening infection when he was only 2 years old.
"I don't know what a child hand looks like," he explained in a video interview with The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
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He wears prosthetic legs, and eventually figured out how to do day to day activities like write, eat and play video games, but before the transplant, Zion has always told doctors that he dreams of one day throwing a football, a press release reported.
For now, Zion can take pride in throwing a baseball.
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