The ceremonial first pitch is a longstanding tradition in baseball in which a guest of honor throws a ball to mark the end of pre-game festivities and the start of the game.
When it came time to choose the donor family who would throw the first pitch on April 21 during this year’s Donate Life Game in partnership with the St. Louis Cardinals, there was an obvious first choice.
“Everybody loved my brother, Matthew,” recalled his sister, Tara Myers. “He had a deep voice and this boisterous laugh. He was like a big teddy bear. Matthew was such a lovable guy.”
Donor hero Matthew Price with his family
Matthew Price went to the hospital in the early morning hours of April 6, 2023 with chest pain. After multiple tests, it was confirmed he had a life-threatening situation – an aortic dissection – that needed immediate repair. He was rushed to Saint Louis University Hospital where he underwent an almost 10-hour surgery to repair his heart.
“They told us he had made it through the worst part,” Tara said. “We were able to spend time with Matt – he was alert, looking at me, mom, and his kiddos, knowing we were there. We left the intensive care unit (ICU) that night hopeful and thinking he would be ok.”
Unfortunately, about six hours later, Matthew passed away. He was 47 years old.
“A tear like that causes internal bleeding that is very hard to catch in time for it to not be fatal,” Tara said. “It was so quick. They wouldn’t have told us to leave if they didn’t think he had turned a corner. It’s excruciating. I’m still working through it.”
Immediately, Tara jumped into action knowing that her brother would want to pass on the gift of life if he was able to. “I asked right away whether there was anything my brother could be a donor for knowing that his body had been through a lot,” she said. “I wanted that opportunity for him.”
Matthew was a registered organ, eye, and tissue donor, but he had also worked for Mid-America Transplant, fulfilling a lifelong interest in not only science but in organ donation.
“I’m so proud to say that my brother worked for Mid-America Transplant,” Tara continued. “He knew the importance of saving lives through organ donation, and he lived and breathed the mission.”
Matthew was able to donate tissue: bone, skin, veins, and corneas. His gift helped burn victims and those who had been in serious debilitating accidents. And he gifted two individuals with the gift of sight. “Matt was always a giver, and this was the ultimate gift,” Tara added.
Tara says Matthew’s generosity also made her more aware of the importance of giving. Since his death she has made it a personal mission to keep talking to people about organ donation and sharing his story. “It’s been a year and I continue to promote organ donation, I think I always will,” her voice catches. “It keeps me close to him, you know? It gives the loss a purpose.”
Months later, Tara received a call from Mid-America Transplant. “A committee forms for National Donate Life Month,” she said. “And they get to pick a family to throw out the first pitch at the Donate Life Game. They all met in a conference room and before anyone could say anything, they looked at each other and said, ‘Matthew.’ It wasn’t even a discussion. They asked if our family would do the honor, and of course we said ‘yes.’”
In addition, Tara’s family got to meet and hang out with former Cardinal and 2006 World Series MVP David Eckstein, who is an advocate for organ donation. Mid-America Transplant also does an honor walk around Busch Stadium before the game. It’s a way to honor those who gave the gift of life, celebrate those who have received the generous gifts, and support those who continue to wait.
The family of Matthew Price with former Cardinal David Eckstein at the 2024 Donate Life Game
“It was an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Tara said. “Matt’s kids were over the moon. It’s what he would have wanted. Because of who Matthew was as a person, it made sense that his colleagues would honor him in that way.”
Tara says the biggest blessing of the experience by far is the support her family received. It was so big of a blessing that it’s hard for her to put into words what it meant.
“The support that our parish community, our neighbors, my good friends, and our families from Illinois and Missouri showed was amazing,” she stops to compose herself. “They wanted to be there for us.” Tara said they even had T-shirts made for the game that said, “Cardinals appear when angels are near,” with a cardinal on it and Matthew’s name on the back.
“To have that many people show up meant the world to us,” she added. “Obviously throwing the first pitch is a huge honor. But I think the biggest gift we got that day was the support.”
It’s also the support that helps Tara continue to share the importance of organ donation. “I’ve been blessed to share Matt’s story with so many people because I just want to keep his memory alive,” she said. “And I’m going to continue to do what I can because it helps us rationalize the purpose of the loss. There’s a bigger, deeper meaning.”
“I am so proud to call you my brother, Matthew,” she added. “You live on through many and will never, ever be forgotten.”
By registering as an organ, eye, and tissue donor, you can bring hope to patients and families who are holding out for a miracle. Sign up for the donor registry and increase the chance that patients waiting will get the transplants they need to survive.