Rocklin Boy Swings Back from Leukemia Battle with the Honor of Throwing the First Pitch for Saturday’s Rocklin Little League Opening Day.

Baseball was his inspiration. When Jared Pagett of Rocklin was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in May of 2006, he realized that he would not be able to finish the Little League baseball season due to the extensive treatments he needed immediately to help put him into remission. For the second time, Jared gets to face his disease head-on and show it that he has won, by getting to throw the first pitch at opening day ceremonies for Rocklin Little League on Sat., March 15 at 9 a.m. 

 In honor of Jared’s diagnosis and departure from the season, his team, the triple-A level A’s, gave him a special baseball for inspiration and motivation to get better. Jared was determined that he would not throw that ball again until he was well. It was a long journey, but Jared did get to throw that ball as the “first pitch” in the opening day ceremonies of Rocklin Little League in 2007. Now he gets the chance to do the first pitch again, but as a member of a Rocklin Little League team, ready to play ball as soon as the ceremony is over. 

“This will be a very special day for Jared,” said his Mom, Carmen Pagett. “Jared was determined to get through his isolation after the bone marrow transplant and be out there on the mound last year. That experience continued to inspire Jared to get better and now he’s anxious to play with his team this season.” Jared will again have the honor of throwing out the “first ball” in this year’s Rocklin Little League opening day ceremony. According to Jared, “I can’t wait to throw out the first pitch. I’ve been practicing every day to make sure it’s a good one!” 

Jared’s family attributes his life to the amazing power of bone marrow transplants and blood transfusions. “We are always thrilled to hear stories like Jared’s! Many blood donors and a very special marrow donor helped to give this young boy a second chance at life,” explained Vicki Wolfe, Community Relations Manager for Bloodsource. “If you are able, please consider joining the marrow registry and remember to donate blood.” 

“It’s the gift of life you are giving by registering as a bone marrow donor and/or giving blood,” explains Jared’s Mom. “Without dozens of transfusions and the bone marrow transplant, we probably would have lost Jared. We need more people to join the national registry and offer to give blood so we can save so many more lives.”