Former Coach Given 3% Chance of Survival. Breaks Down in Tears as He Returns to Field
Rich Dauer wound up in the hospital on what should have been one of the happiest days of his life.
The first base coach collapsed during the homecoming pep rally celebrating the Houston Astros’ first World Series championship last fall.
The doctors raced against time to get Dauer into emergency brain surgery.
He had a three percent chance of survival.
Against all odds, Dauer woke up after three days and was out of the hospital two weeks later.
“I just know that I could have been and the chances were really good that I would be either dead or not be able to function,” Dauer said. “I can function now, so God has something for me.”
Months later, the retired coach returned to Minute Maid Park to throw the first pitch for the Astros’ game against the Baltimore Orioles — who he use to play for.
“It means a lot to be able to do this,” he said. “It’s not just for me.”
He walked out onto the field and immediately became emotional.
Dauer wiped away his tears, and then turned to throw the ball to Astros manager A.J. Hitch. The two friends hug and the rest of the stadium cheers.
“I have never seen him that emotional,” Hitch told MLB.com. “This guy is as charismatic and joking and laughing, never-had-a-bad-day-type coach, since the day I was with him with the Royals. To see him emotional as he was walking out on the field … the World Series mattered to him. Living mattered more.”
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