DENVER — Denver police Sgt. Justin Dodge threw the ceremonial first pitch before Friday’s Rockies home opener, nine months after he had to have his lower left leg amputated.
Dodge was working security at the Denver Nuggets championship parade last June when a fire truck carrying Nuggets stars Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic rolled onto his left leg, crushing it.
He had the lower portion of his left leg amputated in the weeks that followed.
On Friday, though, Dodge threw a strike to Rockies pitcher Kyle Freeland before the Rockies took on the Tampa Bay Rays at Coors Field. His first pitch was met with cheers from the hometown crowd.
“That was incredible,” Dodge said afterwards. “I hit the mitt. That’s the biggest thing I was hoping for [was to] hit the mitt.”
“I just didn’t want any of you guys [in the media] to have blooper reels,” he joked.
Dodge, who has returned to DPD’s SWAT team in a limited capacity, has said he hopes his road to recovery can be an inspiration. On Thursday, he said his mind was on rehabbing the injury from the moment he was stuck under the fire truck last summer.
“What a cool honor to be able to be out there and show everybody that you can overcome tragedy and be on that prosthetic and keep going,” he said after Friday’s first pitch.
He also spoke of his appreciation for the community’s encouragement, calling Friday’s applause the “capstone” to the support he’s received.
Watch Dodge’s first pitch in the video player above or below.
