Orange County Register

It was an emotional moment recently when Jon Wilhite — the lone survivor of the April 9 crash that killed Nick Adenhart, Courtney Stewart and Henry Pearson — threw out the first pitch at an Orange County Flyers game, on his former college field.

Wilhite will be taking it to the big leagues on Saturday. He has been invited to throw out the first pitch before Saturday A’s-Angels game in Oakland.

A’s catcher Kurt Suzuki (a former Cal State-Fullerton teammate of Wilhite) and his wife, Renee, have been heroic in their efforts to raise money for the Wilhite Recovery Fund (to help pay the extensive costs of Wilhite’s treatment and therapy).

“My wife Renee and I are doing everything we can to help Jon and his family through this devastating, life-altering ordeal,” Kurt Suzuki said in a press releas from the A’s. “As a professional athlete, I have the resources and opportunity to host these fundraisers and I only hope that the money we raise will alleviate some of the costs that Jon and his family are being faced with during his long rehab process.

“Our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who has contributed and will contribute this weekend.”

Fundraising activities will be going on around the stadium during the A’s-Angels games on Saturday and Sunday. Renee Suzuki and other wives of A’s players will be selling “mystery” autographed baseballs (from a table behind Section 120, if you happen to be at the game). Over 300 baseballs autographed by A’s and Angels players will be hidden in paper bags and randomly sold to fans for a minimum donation of $40 to the Wilhite Recovery Fund. There will also be a silent auction of items donated by the A’s during Saturday’s game with all of the proceeds going to the fund. The A’s will match whatever is raised during that auction.

In addition, the first 200 fans who report behind Section 120 and pledge to be a designated driver at the Anheuser-Busch Good Sport booth during the first three innings of the game will receive an autographed Suzuki photo card.

Wilhite and his family will be guests of A’s owner Lew Wolff on his private charter and are expected to attend the games on Saturday and Sunday.

The non-profit group MADD (Mother’s Against Drunk Driving) will also be on hand at the Coliseum to make a presentation outside Gate D.

So far, the Suzukis have raised $26,500 for the Wilhite Recovery Fund through their efforts (including a three-day silent auction at Fullerton in May and an online auction through the A’s website in June).

Additional monetary donations can be made to the Wilhite Recovery Fund, account 3980643658, at any Wells Fargo Bank branch, or to a tax deductible account set up through Manhattan Beach Little League by mailing a check to: Manhattan Beach Little League, P.O. Box 3512, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266, with “Wilhite Recovery Fund” on the memo line.

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