Gainesville Athlete Luke Staab Honors Brother with Jersey Number
On a hot summer day with the rolling hills of upstate New York as a picturesque backdrop, Gainesville’s Rick and Michelle Staab watched their twelve-year old son Tyler inspire thousands of onlookers at the iconic Cooperstown Dreams Park.
Five years earlier Tyler was diagnosed with Dystonia and made the devastating transition from an energetic youth athlete to a wheel chair bound child unable to effectively use his left leg. Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions, which force certain parts of the body into abnormal, sometimes painful, movements and postures.
When the Gainesville Mustangs youth travel baseball coach invited Tyler to be an honorary member of his team, his players would learn valuable lessons about grit and gratitude.
Each summer, the country’s top 12U teams gather for a competitive tournament at the historic baseball mecca. Opening day of skills competitions includes the popular Road Runner base running contest. After the last player zoomed around the diamond and the crowd began to dissipate, Tyler stunned his family and wheeled up to the plate.
As he made his way out of the wheelchair and pushed through every step, the crowd gathered and cheered. When Tyler, nicknamed “T,” touched home plate, hundreds of boys jumped the fence and rejoiced with him on the pristine field.
Although he was young at the time, Luke Staab quietly absorbed his older brother’s perseverance.
When he was old enough to play sports, no one thought much of the eight-year old’s jersey number “40” choice. Years later when his parents questioned this persistent request across every sport he played, they were surprised to learn the significance.
Luke says, “I love my brother and watching his body shut down and not be able to play the sports he loved is devastating. T excelled in every sport and to have that taken away is tough mentally. I want him to know that I will play hard for him and he can live a little through me. So I chose the number 40 – 4-T”
Rick and Michelle Staab thought Luke’s idea was brilliant for a young child, who grew up volunteering with them for Tyler’s Hope for a Cure Foundation. The Staabs established the non-profit in 2006 to advance research and discover effective treatments for Dystonia. Their daughter Samantha, a University of Alabama nursing student, was also later diagnosed.
The Staab’s feel Luke’s jersey number epitomizes who he is at the core – a tough, humble athlete who plays with a purpose. Tyler often gathers footage from his brother’s lacrosse games to make video highlight reels. Luke strives to provide effort that will make Tyler proud; since he admires the way his brother tackles Dystonia. He says the way Tyler pushes through his pain and lives life to the fullest is inspiration for him on the lacrosse field. The Staabs know the reason Luke never misses a game and plays through injuries is his way of honoring his brother and sister that were robbed of the opportunity.
Tyler adds, “I think Luke’s number choice is really cool. What my entire family has done with Tyler’s hope is unreal. Their support means everything to me.”