College baseball player Parker Byrd made a remarkable return to the diamond on Friday night – two years after a horrific boating accident forced his right leg to be amputated.
Byrd was tubing in North Carolina when he fell into the water and was struck by the boat’s propeller, as WHSV reported at the time.
He missed all of the 2023 season for East Carolina University but finally made his college debut on Friday against Rider, as he entered the game in the eighth inning to a massive ovation.
Standing in the batter’s box with a prosthetic leg, Byrd earned a walk before he was replaced by a pinch runner.
Following the game, he said, ‘I couldn’t be more thankful to have the opportunity I had today,’ according to The Athletic.
Parker Byrd played on Friday night for East Carolina University with a prosthetic leg
Byrd’s right leg was amputated below the knee after the horrific boating accident
With his appearance in the 16-2 blowout win, Byrd became the first Division 1 baseball player to take the field with a prosthetic leg.
The road back for Byrd was painful, as ESPN said on its broadcast of the game that he underwent 22 surgeries in 45 days following his injury, according to The Athletic.
After falling off of his tube, Byrd was approaching the boat towing him when the ski rope pulling the tube got caught up in the propeller and pulled Byrd towards the boat.
It was then that he was badly injured by the blades of the propeller.
He had to be airlifted to the ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville afterwards.
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