Senior Night ceremonies are always emotional for players and their families, but for Christian County High School baseball player Jace Blue and his family, Thursday night’s ceremonies brought an overflow of happy tears.
Blue is an outfielder for the Colonels. He started his first game of his high school career Thursday against Trigg County in the team’s final home game in school history. The anticipation of the moment was almost too much to take.
Let’s back up about six years.
Blue was a talented middle school player whose future was bright. But one Fall day in Memphis in 2020, all of that changed.
The 13-year-old, who had suffered from Asthma attacks before, was at a travel tournament with his father, Jared, himself a former Christian County High School baseball star. Jace told his dad he wasn’t breathing well after his games, but this was nothing they felt was too concerning.
But then Jared said everything changed at dinner in a minute.
Jace went into cardiac arrest twice and he spent weeks in the hospital until doctors determined he had Delayed Posthypoxic Leukoencephalapothy – a rare condition that follows a brain incident where a lack of oxygen is present.
While his father was with him at the time of the attack, Jace’s mother, Karly Blane, was in Hopkinsville and remembers praying all the way to Memphis.
Jace lost his ability to see well, speak clearly, and move his body on command. After nearly three weeks at the Memphis hospital and countless tests, Jace was moved to The Shepherd Center in Atlanta, a private not-for-profit hospital specializing in medical treatment. There he underwent extensive rehabilitation.
It was at that time that Jace began a deeper relationship with God.
Fast forward to 2024.
Christian County High School Head Baseball Coach Cole Isom, who had played high school baseball with Jared, offered Jace a spot on the Colonels’ team. Jace accepted and Isom told him he would not be treated differently than any other player.
About the same time that Jace joined the Colonels, Johnny Lewis transferred to Christian County and joined the baseball team. Lewis and Jace quickly became best friends.
Lewis said they always hang out together, talk about baseball, religion, and Jace even helps him with his swing.
Jace, who says he spends a lot of time studying the Bible, also talked to Lewis about giving his life to Christ. It culminated with a Baptism in a cow pond near Crofton.
Blane said she is thankful for the baseball players and their friendship and support of Jace, but there are days her son still struggles mentally with understanding what was lost. But she admires how he stays positive.
It’s not always easy for Jace. He admits that he struggles with the perception people have when they see him.
On Thursday night, there was nothing different about Jace than the rest of his senior teammates. He took center field and was back in the spot he coveted. Right next to him in the outfield was his best friend, Lewis, who was there to “back him up.”
Jared said of all the seniors on the field, he is full of pride thinking about what his son has been through.
Once this baseball season ends, the Colonels will go in different directions. Several have already signed baseball scholarships. Others will head to college and some will go straight to the work force.
For Jace, the next chapter in his life is the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, an independent living facility in Chicago. There, he hopes to be able to gain more independence.
His goal is to enroll at the University of Kentucky in the Fall of 2027 and begin his pursuit of a Psychology degree.
You better not count him out.
Photos by Peyton Biaquis