Senators sign teen battling rare disease to one-day scouting contract
Jonathan Pitre’s afflication prevents him from playing sports. The 14-year old suffers from epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a genetic disease that causes blistering of the skin, making things like bathing and walking painful to do.
The Ottawa Citizen profiled Pitre’s plight last month, and included stunning photos of just how much his body blisters due to the disease.
"I’m done with the dream of trying to play sports," Pitre told the Citizen. "I knew I’d never be able to play sports, but I tried to have hope that I would. Now I know what’s reality. But I still would like to do something in sports: I’d like to be a scout, or a sportscaster on Sportsnet, you know, one of the commentators.”
After reading the piece, Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray wanted to help Pitre achieve his dream. So on Thursday, the team signed the ninth grader to a one-day contract to join the scouting staff. He received a tour of Canadian Tire Center before the game against the Nashville Predators and then spent time with assistant GM Pierre Dorion watching the action.
He even managed to score an interview during the TSN broadcast:
One of my all time favourite interviews, even if he does want my job ;). Jonathan Pitre: fighter and an inspiration. pic.twitter.com/mb9jquGvz9
— Brent Wallace (@tsn_wally) November 21, 2014
Pitre’s story has helped raise more than $50,000 for DEBRA Canada, a charity that supports families and people dealing with EB. According to the Citizen, part of that money will help finance a trip to see the Northern Lights, with the rest going toward other patients.
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Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Sean_Leahy
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