Puppy becomes newest member of Albuquerque Isotopes
Posted at: 06/12/2012 9:14 PM
| Updated at: 06/12/2012 10:38 PM
By: Marissa Torres, KOB Eyewitness News 4
 "Stevie Wonder" |
He is the newest member of the Albuquerque Isotopes, but his claim to fame is not about home runs or slugging percentages.
His name is Stevie Wonder and his story is just as incredible as his name.
Watching Stevie run around the Isotope Stadium, it is obvious he is like any other six-month old puppy. He loves to be outside, play ball, and has endless energy.
But if you take a closer look at the shepherd mix, you will see Stevie is far from ordinary. In fact, he is blind.
"He's got no eyes, but he's about as happy as they get," said pitcher John Ely.
He recently adopted Stevie after meeting the puppy at Watermelon Ranch, an animal rescue in Bernalillo County. Ely had been volunteering with some of the other players when they not only met Stevie, but learned of his heartbreaking story.
Workers at Watermelon Ranch said Stevie was found wandering the streets. One of his eyes was so badly hurt it had to be removed immediately, the other was infected and had already caused blindness; it was also removed.
Fast forward to today, the eager pup is not letting anything stand in his way. His owner is Ely, but his family is the Albuquerque Isotopes. Ely said all of the players and staff have taken Stevie in as one of their own, helping him not only adjust to life without eyes, but make sure he gets a fighting chance.
Ely said Stevie has the occasional spills and sometimes runs into walls, but overall, he is making huge strides everyday.
"He's got a great sense of smell and great hearing. So he kind of sniffs his way around and now it seems like he walks around without any issues at all."
Ely said the minute he met Stevie, he could not let him go. And judging from Stevie's progress, it is pretty easy to see the pair was meant to be.
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