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Struthers softball team rallies around Hannah Tringhese
Struthers, Valley Christian softball players team up to support Valley girl with tumor
By STEVE WILAJ
The first pitch was the most important in Saturday’s softball matchup between Struthers and Valley Christian at Mauthe Park.
And it came in a courageous act.
Hannah Tringhese, a Struthers Elementary School kindergartner, tossed the opening pitch in a 17-1 Wildcats win that benefited her fight against her illness of a massive brain tumor.
Earlier this week, the 6-year-old started chemotherapy for the first time and had a brain port inserted. Still, she made it to the fundraising contest — coined “Wildcats for Hannah” — in good spirits.
“She’s doing really well,” her mother, Sarah Tringhese said. “She had her first treatment the other day and she just threw out the first pitch. So she’s recovering very well and we’re on our way at the start of the journey. It’s gonna be a long road, but she’s gonna beat it.”
Struthers ditched its red and black for the day and instead donned purple — Hannah’s favorite color.
The Wildcats wore white t-shirts with purple lettering of “Hannah Strong” and large purple eyeglasses on the front — Struthers’ Emily Grandy said the glasses are Hannah’s trademark — as well as purple bows in their hair with the saying “Wildcats for Hannah” on them.
“I think it’s nice wearing them to really show everyone we’re here for her,” said Grandy, who hit a grand slam in the second inning. “I think it’s an honor to wear them and we played our hardest for her.”
Added Struthers coach Jennifer Ragusa: “Hannah is a special little girl. So it’s important, No. 1, as a group of women to band together and show a little girl that you are strong and you can do it — keep on battling. We wanted to show her that you should be proud and strong and you can make it through.”
Hannah was diagnosed with the brain tumor earlier this year. She underwent surgery on March 25 at Akron’s Children’s Hospital to remove a portion of the tumor, before starting more treatment this week.
“As soon as we heard, we decided that we had to take action and do something meaningful for Hannah,” said Ragusa, an intervention specialist at Struthers Schools who became friends with Sarah Tringhese, a Struthers Elementary teacher. “The greatest part is that when you’re a part of Struthers, you’re part of a community that really bands together.”
Approximately $100 was raised through donations at Saturday’s game for the Tringhese family and a $500 donation was granted to the family from Stability in Crisis Ministries in Struthers on behalf of the Wildcats’ softball program.
The Struthers softball team did additional fundraising leading up to Saturday — “We sold little paper snails and hearts and flowers. And we sold messages to Hannah all over town,” Ragusa said — to purchase the signature “Hannah Strong” t-shirts that the Tringhese family continues to sell.
“It just blows my mind,” said Sarah Tringhese, who along with Hannah, was accompanied by her husband Tom and other family members at the game. “The support that we have received from day one has been overwhelming. I love that everyone is shining the light on Hannah and what she’s about rather than what she’s dealing with.
“Hannah has brought so much comfort to this community and it’s been uplifting for everybody — not just our family, but families all around. So it’s just been amazing. Our hearts are full and we’ve never felt alone one time throughout this whole journey.”
Prior to the game, the Wildcats softball team — which has gotten to know Hannah well over the past few months — interacted with the opening-pitcher, as they usually do.
“We got these little glasses and we took pics with her,” Grandy said. “We all gave her little gifts and complimented her. It was just nice for her to come out. We’re just trying to help her as much as we can and be there for her and her family.”
In turn — and maybe by a bit of surprise — Hannah was there for Struthers on Saturday. Obviously, it only added to a worthwhile cause.
“I think that she looks like a million bucks,” Ragusa said. “I was nervous she wasn’t gonna be able to make it, but she was just so excited to see the girls and be a part of it. I think she looked great and it felt really nice to have her here.”