Red Sox pitcher Garret Whitlock reached out to fans in a more unusual way when kicking off a special event recently.
The 26-year-old was welcoming supporters to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Awareness Night using his first language, American Sign.
The athlete went on to share that his mom had taught him to sign, and that he’ll often join in with others if they, too, are signing.
When asked if he’s taught his teammates any of his first language, his cheeky grin and resolute signing of “no” showed it might be an uphill struggle to share his skills.
While we love that his knowledge of the language came from his close bond to his mom, it’s great to see a sports personality lend their weight to the deaf and hard of hearing community, and to encourage them to be heard.