Softball community raises money after teammate is hospitalized

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – When 9-year-old softball player Rae Francis suffered a sudden and serious medical emergency earlier this month, she ended up in the hospital.

When family friend Jake Sheridan learned Rae was in the hospital, his first thought was, “What can we do to help her?” »

“Rae is an incredible kid, she’s an incredible softball player, she’s an even better friend,” Sheridan says.

Within three days, he and the D-BAT team decided to hold a benefit softball clinic.

Every dollar raised, including registration fees, goes directly to the Francis family.

“We know she’s going to be fighting for a long time and we want to make sure we give them as much money as possible to take the pressure off them,” Sheridan said.

On Saturday, more than 70 children put on their helmets and brandished their sticks in honor of their friend and teammate.

“Everything I do, whether it’s hitting, I do it for Rae,” says friend and teammate Livey Harmon.

“I work really hard to try to do better because I know if she was here, she would want me to do that,” says her friend and teammate Maggie Thompson.

Although Francis remains in the hospital, she has a host of friends and softball fans right next to her.

Beyond profits, D-BAT will continue to support Rae and her family by collecting donations.

D-BAT is accepting donations and selling t-shirts to support Rae’s family at its location on Mercer Road in Lexington.

According to the Scott County Softball Club Facebook page, you can also donate to this Venmo handle: @heather-dhondt, “please put “Rae Francis” in the notes.