Sports
Verlander Makes Burton Elementary Student's Dreams Come True
Huntington Woods fifth-grader Shayna Hersh – nicknamed 'Verlander' by her classmates for her love of the Detroit Tigers pitcher – gets a surprise trip to New York to meet her hero.
Her father had to do a little fibbing here and there to keep the surprise a secret, but it was all worth it so fifth-grader Shayna Hersh got to see her favorite Detroit Tiger, Justin Verlander, pitch against New York in Yankee Stadium on frigid Friday night.
The best was yet to come: A trip to the MLB Fan Cave on Saturday and a surprise meeting with Verlander.
At just 11 years old, Shayna has faced down a lot of adversity, including her struggle with cystic fibrosis and the death of her 37-year-old mother in August.
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"It's such a touching story," Verlander said. "I thought, 'What an amazing opportunity to really surprise this young girl ..."
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