MLB All-Star opens up about 'the toughest thing' after infant's heart surgery
The past few months have been gut-wrenching for Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel.
In November, his wife, Ashley, gave birth to their first child, a girl they named Lydia Joy.
Four days later, the infant underwent surgery for a heart defect.
Kimbrel helped care for his little girl in the following weeks before reporting to camp in Fort Myers, Florida, on time last month.
“You never know where life’s going to take you,” he told reporters at the time. “I learned that a lot this offseason in dealing with my daughter. So I’m just going to take each day for what it is.”
The All-Star left spring training Feb. 28 to be there for Lydia’s second surgery at Children’s Hospital in Boston.
While he was gone, his teammates wore T-shirts with the slogan “#LydiaStrong” to show their support.
Today we’re wearing #LydiaStrong shirts as we continue to keep the Kimbrel family and their daughter, Lydia, in our thoughts and prayers. pic.twitter.com/eb2pifQGBh
— Red Sox (@RedSox) March 11, 2018
On Monday, after spending most of the past three weeks in the hospital, Kimbrel rejoined the Red Sox and announced Lydia is doing well.
“In the last week, her recovery has been unbelievable and she’s showing great signs,” he said in an emotional news conference at the team’s spring training facility. “We’re very blessed.”
The 4-month-old is expected to be released from the hospital within a few weeks, Kimbrel said.
“There’s no denying it’s been the toughest thing we’ve ever been through,” he said.
The young parents have endured with the help of family, friends and faith.
“We’re definitely, me and my wife, we’ve had each other and we’ve had our family, we’ve had a great support,” Kimbrel said. “Everyone is sending out prayers that have definitely been heard.”
Lydia still needs one more surgery to “straighten up her anatomy so she can grow as a normal child,” he said, but that won’t take place until she’s 3 or 4 years old.
Kimbrel said Lydia’s progress made it possible for him to return to Fort Myers and refocus on baseball.
“She’s in a good, comfortable place for me to be down here,” he said. “If she wasn’t, I wouldn’t be here.”
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