MitchMash: Cancer patient Nathan McCarty uses Make-a-Wish to renovate his school's baseball field

Nathan McCarty doesn't like to look back. Not at the last year anyway. He doesn't like to think of the exhaustive treatments, the weight loss, the illness.

Nobody with cancer does, but especially so for a vivacious 16-year-old junior in high school. He's got proms to look forward to, senior trips, and in McCarty's case, baseball games to win.

But on Sunday, McCarty had no choice. Some 250 volunteers worked at the Kamiak (Mukilteo, Wash.) baseball facility, all at McCarty's request. His wish, actually.

Yes, instead of a trip to Disney World, or overseas, or meeting a famous person, McCarty's Make-A-Wish Foundation request wasn't self-serving or remotely indulgent.

In fact, it was a community project, a gathering of coworkers, a giving notion to improve the baseball facilities at his school. It's been tabbed his "field of dreams."

"I just wanted to give back to all those who have given to me," he said by phone Sunday. "I wanted it to be something we could all be proud of not only this season but 10, 20 or 30 years down the road."

So, there on Sunday, under a light drizzle, were dozens upon dozens of do-gooders, raking the field, placing new screens and fences, spreading decals, padding down a new home plate and adding new visitors bleachers.

Most of the volunteers were fellow students and teammates, but there were also opposing teams — Newport (Bellevue, Wash.) and Glacier Peak (Snohomish, Wash.) — along with countless strangers, including one man from Bellevue, who drove a couple of hours after reading about McCarty's story in the Seattle Times.

The story has been about how McCarty was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in October of 2011, how he lost 70 pounds due to treatments and has largely been taken away from the game he loves. But mostly it's about how his friends, family and community have come together to support and love the courageous, selfless and fun-loving teen.

And as McCarty took it all in on Sunday, for once he allowed himself to look back and reflect.

"It's been a long year for sure," McCarty said by phone Sunday. "Everything all came back to me today. But in a good way. To see everyone out there, working together, laughing and having a good time, all these people have supported me out there at once. … it was pretty cool."

It was the start of a two-day event full of support and love for McCarty - and Kamiak.

Today is the unveiling of the renovated field before a 4 p.m. league game with cross-district rival Mariner. Many dignitaries and media are scheduled to be on hand, including former Seattle Mariners catcher Dan Wilson and Sounders FC soccer standout Taylor Graham.

"I'm so excited and nervous it might be hard to sleep (Sunday night)," he said. "I honestly think I'm most excited about playing."

The chemotherapy treatments, which are now monthly and should finish up by January of 2015, have limited McCarty to part-time status on the team and at school. He's now considered in the maintenance portion of his treatment. If all goes well, he'll be cancer free by 2020.

In the meantime, he'll get all the baseball he can. He's penciled in to start Monday and play first base.

"I just want to get some hits and help us win," he said.

The "team" concept took on much greater concept after his diagnosis, he said. He told the Times his first reaction to the news was "I basically thought I was going to die," McCarty said.

But quickly his parents and doctors talked him down and then his teammates, and deep faith, helped raise his spirits.

"There would be like 10 to 15 kids coming to my house every day after school," McCarty said Sunday. "There was so much laughter and fun. They made me feel so much better. I'll never forget that."

He didn't forget about them when the Make-A-Wish representatives asked for a request. The humanitarian organization grants wishes for kids with life-threatening conditions, but McCarty definitely threw them a curveball.

While in treatment, he met and had a long conversation with former Major League catcher Bengie Molina.

"He was fantastic," McCarty said. "So I had met someone in baseball very famous."

His family had traveled overseas before, "so I'd done that also," he said.

So, the one thing that he really thought would make him feel better was "to pay back all of those who had made me feel better."

Simple concept, and after Sunday's renovations, perfectly executed.

He said the most fun he had Sunday, which will likely carry on into Monday, was doing television interviews.

"I've never been on TV or around it before," he said. "All the guys were yelling at me while I was on camera and trying to get me to laugh. It was a lot of fun."

He better get used to it. You can bet his story — and wish — is going to spread.



E-mail Mitch Stephens at mstephens@maxpreps.com or follow him on Twitter @MitchMashMax