Jonathan’s First Hit of the Season — Opening Day with the Cyclones 🏆⚾
Some people count birthdays. Some people count anniversaries. In our family, we count Buddy Baseball seasons — because for our son Jonathan, who has Down syndrome, every single one is a victory. Jonathan’s First Hit of the season is here, and this opening day was everything.
This is Jonathan — our 16 year old son with Down syndrome. He has been playing Buddy Baseball with the Cyclones since he was 8 years old. This spring marks his sixteenth season. And every single opening day is a victory.
When Jonathan started with the Cyclones he was the smallest kid on the team. He used to hold the bat tucked under his arm and try to swing his whole body around to hit the ball. It was adorable. It was determined. It was so very Jonathan.
But last season something clicked. He figured out the swing. And this video — right here — shows him getting his very first hit of the spring 2025 season on opening day, February 21st. Watch that form. Watch that swing. Watch that joy.
What you don’t know watching this video is what it took to get here.
In the fall of 2024, Jonathan missed his only Buddy Baseball season ever. He underwent a supercharged jejunal interposition — one of the most complex surgeries a child can have. It’s a major reconstructive procedure where a portion of the small intestine is microsurgically repositioned to reconstruct the esophagus. The surgery can take up to 20 hours and requires one of the most specialized surgical teams in the world. Jonathan had his done at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. He spent a month in the hospital.
Jonathan turned 15 years old in that hospital room. And the doctors and nurses at Johns Hopkins All Children’s — the same team that spent hours in surgery fighting for him — gave him a baseball glove. Signed by every one of them. We will treasure that glove forever.
His Cyclones teammates couldn’t wait for him to come back.
Over these eight years most of the players and coaches have stayed the same. It has been one of the great joys of our lives watching this group grow up together — season after season, year after year, showing up for each other.
Jonathan — our Buddy Baseball player with Down syndrome — is what his team calls a fan favorite. He has shown up every season — fall and spring — for eight years. He has grown from the smallest kid on the team into a young man who can absolutely rake.
Buddy Baseball is one of the most beautiful things we have ever been part of as a family. It is a special needs baseball program that gives kids like Jonathan the chance to play, compete, belong, and be celebrated. If you have never been to a Buddy Baseball game, you need to go. Take your kids. Take your whole family. You will never be the same.
Jonathan, we are so proud of you. Every season you suit up for the Cyclones is a gift we do not take for granted. Every opening day is another victory. 🏆⚾💛
Jonathan’s First Hit — About the Longstreth Family
Welcome to the Longstreth family! Stephanie and Jason have been married for 33 years and together they are raising five incredible kids — four of whom came to them through adoption, a cause that is deeply close to their hearts. One of their children has Down syndrome and some special medical needs, and advocating for that community is a passion they share proudly. Jason is a preacher, an elder, and a college professor. Stephanie is a stay at home mom and the heartbeat of this household. Life in the Longstreth home is big, busy, beautiful, and never boring — and they love sharing it with you!
More Jonathan Moments You’ll Love
- Tropicana Field Opening Day — A Day Our Family Will Never Forget — we took the whole crew to the big ballpark, and my heart was so full watching Jon take it all in.
- A Day in the Life of Our Sweet Son Jon — Down Syndrome, Big Heart, Best Life — come spend an ordinary, wonderful day with Jon. His joy is contagious.
- Esophageal Atresia, Two Years Later: Jon’s Check-Up and Why We’re So Thankful — two years after that big surgery, a check-up full of good news and grateful hearts.
- Jon’s Adoption Story — Down Syndrome, Big Surgery, and the Baby Who Changed Everything — the full story of how Jon came to our family, the surgeries he survived, and why every game feels like a miracle.
- Buddy Baseball Hits — Jon Knocks It Out of the Park! — three at-bats, three hits, and a lunch with his Buddy after the game. This kid does everything at full speed.
- Jon Scores THREE Baskets at Special Olympics Basketball! — baseball is not the only sport where Jon shines. Watch him on the court and try not to cry. We dare you.
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