VALPARAISO — Ben Baltz will kick off his summer vacation by doing what he loves best —playing sports.
The 11-year-old Valparaiso boy will attend a kids camp Tuesday through Saturday hosted by the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team at Walt Disney World Resort.
Ben, whose lower right leg was amputated in 2008 because of bone cancer, regularly participates in triathlons and enjoys a variety of sports.
“He’s just so very excited to go down there and play with kids who look just like him,” said his mother, Kim Baltz. “He gets to play with other kids who have an amputation. It lets him see other people are dealing with the same things as him.”
Ben made national news last fall after his prosthetic leg came unscrewed during the run portion of the Sea Turtle Tri on Pensacola Beach. Marine Pfc. Matthew Morgan carried Ben across the finish line. CNN broke the story on its website.
At next week’s camp, softball team members will coach the children, who range in age from 8 to 12, on the fundamentals of softball, teamwork and positive attitudes.
The campers will play a final game Friday at The Champion Stadium ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
Kim Baltz said the Wounded Warriors Amputee Softball Team sets an important example for Ben and other children with amputations.
“They are absolutely wonderful,” she said. “They let them know it doesn’t mean the end of their life.”
She said that while some kids would be excited about going to Disney World, Ben is most interested in playing sports all day long.
“He loves sports,” she said. “He’s more excited about playing ball for a week.”