Philadelphia Phillies Ace Pitcher, Cole Hamels, rescued a life this offseason.  No he did not save a reporter’s life, that was Evan Longoria.  He did not save a man in the Amazon from an anaconda, that was Roy Halladay. He didn’t even perform the Heimlech on someone that was choking, that was Todd Frazier.

While Hamels did none of those things, he did save one little girl.

The Hamels family during a photo shoot. Photo Credit: 6abc

On Christmas Eve, the Hamels came back from Ethiopia with a new daughter.  Heidi and Cole brought home a 6-month old that they have named Reeve.  She is, apparently, the culmination of a 4-year adoption process.

My nephew and niece.

This topic is one that is near and dear to my heart.  In 2011, my brother and sister-in-law brought home a little girl from Zambia.  I have never been to Zambia, but from what my family has told me, my heart would break left and right.

The kids at the state orphanages are the poorest of the poor.  Often they are children of neglect and abuse.  Many will not see their second birthday, this probably would have been the fate of my niece if Steven and Kim did not intercede.  Though they couldn’t save all those children, they were able to save one.

Over the last 19 months, I have watched my beautiful, fun, girly-girl niece grow and blossom under the care and love of my family.  Steven and Kim has reversed her fate.

Now Cole and Heidi have done that for one more little child.  She is being blessed by becoming part of a family that will forever love her.  Oh, and with the Hamels adopting her, she went from one of the poorest in the world to a very wealthy child.  Now that is a complete 180.