CHESAPEAKE, Va. — A local youth baseball team honored one of its player’s fathers at a tournament Saturday.
Virginia Beach firefighter Matthew Gallina’s son plays for the Tidewater Drillers U13 team. Gallina died in August from esophageal cancer, caused by occupational carcinogens.
The team wore matching fire department-inspired uniforms as part of the 'Field of Screams' tournament. Each team was able to choose a costume to wear on the field. Parents told 13News Now Saturday, they’re proud their sons chose to support the Gallina family.
"I was just watching my son up to bat and it brings a huge wave of emotion just because Matt was always out here," Matthew's wife, Michelle, said. "Baseball was Matt's passion."
Gallina says the Tidewater Drillers have been a support to her family since her husband's diagnosis.
"They are a tremendous backbone of love and support for our family," she said.
The players weren’t the only ones in uniform Saturday. Members of the Chesapeake Fire Department were in the stands with a special guest in tow, the department’s cancer awareness engine, known as "Pinky.”
Chesapeake Fire Chief Sam Gulisano says the truck is newly re-painted, replacing the department's former cancer awareness engine. "I believe this is the second event she’s been able to participate in," he said.
Though the tournament’s focus was baseball, Gallina and Gulisano agreed the team’s costume choice points to an ongoing issue in the firefighting industry.
"All of our fire departments have suffered firefighters that we’ve lost due to cancer," Gulisano explained.
"Awareness is huge, early detection is huge, early treatment is huge," Gallina added.
According to the CDC, cancer is the leading cause of death in firefighters.
