Perry pitching for life
Softball star recovering from aneurism

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By John Enrietto
Eagle Sports Editor

BUTLER TWP — Chelsea Perry's message was clear: Thumbs up for life
Perry, 21, a fast-pitch softball pitcher for Butler High School and Butler County Community College, had an aneurism rupture in her brain March 7, which set off a series of mini-strokes.
"She was never sick in her life. ... She had an ear infection once, that's about it," said Monica Perry, her mother. "She never spent a day in a hospital.
"Aneurisms are generally the size of the tip of a finger. Hers was the size of a golf ball."
And this previously healthy young woman seemed destined for tragedy.
After collapsing at home, Perry was rushed to Butler Memorial Hospital, then transported by medical helicopter to two Pittsburgh hospitals. She laid in a deep coma for nearly a week.
"She almost died several times," Monica. Perry said. "On March 13, the doctors came out and told us there was no hope. They didn't expect her to make it through that afternoon.
"Thirty minutes later, she was responsive. Doctors asked her to indicate if she could hear them and she lifted her thumb in the air. They asked her what two and two was and she held up four fingers."
Perry has been making progress ever since.
The first words she spoke were "I love you"on March 23. She began her first full day of rehabilitation March 30 at the Harmarville Rehabilitation Center.
Now working to walk on her own and battling some paralysis on her left side, Perry hopes to return home by the end of May.
"She is a miracle in progress,"Monica Perry said. "She wants to play ball again."
Perry has been a softball player since age 7. She grew up in Hoover, Ala., a suburb of Birmingham, and the sport is extremely popular there.
"Girls start playing at five years old,"Monica Perry said. "Chelsea wanted to try it and she wanted to learn how to pitch. She's been a pitcher ever since."
Perry was born in Butler before her father's job took the family to Alabama when she was only a few months old. The family returned to Butler when she was 12.
From seventh grade through 12th, Perry was a pitcher in the Butler school system. At times, she was the only pitcher on the high school team.
Besides pitching for the Golden Tornado, Perry played for the Pittsburgh Power summer team through last season.
"There were summers she played on three or four different teams,"her mother said.
Perry wound up joining the BC3 squad toward the end of last season as a first baseman and pitcher.
"Chelsea's impact was immediate,"Pioneers coach John Osborne said. "We only won three games, but we clearly became a better team when she arrived."
Holding down two part-time jobs while taking a full schedule of classes, Perry was not planning to play for the Pioneers.
"She heard we needed players and she was there,"Osborne said.
Perry was slated to be BC3's No. 1 pitcher this spring. Brittany Beatty of Saegertown and Knoch graduate Becky Crampton are handling the mound duties in her absence.
BC3 is only 5-13 this season, but is playing in its conference championship game this week.
"What happened to Chelsea brought the whole team closer together,"Osborne said. "Most of our players are from Butler and knew her in high school.
"A few of our players have visited her at Harmarville. The team dedicated the season to her."
Perry, who helped coach the Butler Junior High team two years ago, has a small pillow shaped and designed like a softball that she plays catch with in her room at Harmarville."
A golf outing benefiting Perry has been scheduled for July 15 at Lake Arthur Country Club. The outing is being put together by the Butler Athletic Club, where Perry has been employed.
Call the club at 724-285-5775 for details of the golf outing.
A Web site, chelseaperry12.com, provides daily updates on Perry's rehabilitation.
"No. 12 is her (softball) uniform number. She's working so hard every day and is making incredible progress every day,"Monica Perry said. "Chelsea's comeback efforts have touched countless people.
"She still has a long way to go. But she's gonna get there."