Roman Senft is about to have a Pirates day he’ll never forget.
Before Tuesday’s game against the Giants at PNC Park, the 10-year-old from Cranberry will grab the microphone and shout “Play Ball!” - a simple baseball ritual that means something much bigger to the Senft family after a brutal summer.
Roman’s road to that moment started in early April, just after the Pirates’ home opener, which he attended with his family. On Saturday, April 4, he suddenly began dealing with severe headaches and nausea.
The symptoms eased at first with over-the-counter medication, then came back a few days later. A third episode sent the Senfts to a local hospital, where doctors initially worried about dehydration, allergies or a virus.
Instead, a CT scan found a hemorrhaging brain tumor in his right frontal lobe.
Emergency surgery at UPMC Children’s Hospital followed two days later. A few weeks after that, Roman and his family traveled to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., where he spent two months and received targeted proton radiation therapy.
Roman still has medicinal therapy ahead for two more years to make sure the tumor doesn’t return, but his oncology team and neurosurgeon recently cleared him for fall baseball. That opened the door for a special day at PNC Park, with help from the Pirates and Chairman Bob Nutting.
“I’m very excited,” Roman said. “I can’t wait to [play fall ball], and I’m very grateful for the Pirates letting me do this.”
His role Tuesday goes well beyond the first pitch-style moment. Roman will also help deliver the lineup card and hold the finish line for the Great Pittsburgh Pierogy Race.
The family will be treated to the Home Plate Club, and plenty of friends and relatives from around the Seneca Valley School District are expected to come along for the ride.
For Denise Senft, Roman’s mother, the support has meant everything.
“It’s really a magical thing,” Denise said. “Obviously no one wants to be in the position we’re in.
But I think when people realizing you’re going through something like this, they almost come out of the woodwork. It has really restored our faith in humanity.”
The Pirates had already reached out after hearing the family’s story, sending a care package and staying in touch through manager of community programming Sarah Heffler. Denise said Heffler remained in contact to track Roman’s progress and eventually help make this game happen.
Baseball has long been the Senfts’ shared language. Denise and her ex-husband Ryan have three boys: R.J., 13; Remington, 11; and Roman, who turned 10 in July. The family has been showing up for Pirates home openers since R.J. was born, and they’ve even been known to fly a Dominican Republic flag on a broomstick because Denise has family members who still live there.
Denise said the family once befriended Starling Marte, and Roman has a tough time narrowing down his favorite Pirates player. After meeting Esmerlyn Valdez at Baseball Card Castle in Cranberry, he’s got plenty to choose from: Paul Skenes, Konnor Griffin, Oneil Cruz and Bubba Chandler, too.
“I like all of them,” Roman said.
For the Senfts, that kind of easygoing baseball talk has been a lifeline through a summer that included surgery, treatment at St. Jude’s, MRIs every two month to check progress and four pills every Monday that bring more nausea.
Still, the game has always been a place to breathe. It’s family time.
It’s tradition. It’s the thing that brings the kids and parents together without forcing it.
“Baseball is part of our lives. It’s what I can do for my boys where they’ll never say no to me,” Denise said, laughing.
“It’s become a thing for us. If it’s a Wednesday and I don’t have anything going on at work, I’ll take off and pick one of my kids up from school.
“It’s our tradition and family time. It’s where we can always be together.
It’s not forced. After time, you know these teenagers don’t want to hang out with their parents.
But when you say, ‘Hey, you wanna go to a Buccos game? They’re like, ‘Oh my God, yeah.’
”
Tuesday’s experience will be different, no question. But that’s the point. The Pirates are giving Roman and his family a night built around joy, and after everything they’ve been through, Denise said that’s exactly what makes it special.
“Out of this dreadful situation, it’s just a special thing,” Denise said. “I’m really happy Roman is feeling the love and doing something that he’s going to remember forever.”
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