“Every minute of the day I think about the time when I can step back on the mound,” Corey Phelan, of Greenlawn, exclusively told The Messenger from his hospital bedside on Wednesday.
For now, a local boy made good will have to put his dream of hurling heat from the grandest stage in sports on hold to overcome an even steeper obstacle. One that’s hospitalized the young flamethrower, but has yet to crush his determination to beat this thing. Not in the slightest.
Phelan, 19, a southpaw in the Philadelphia Phillies organization and Long Island high school standout just a couple years ago, was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in April.
The Harborfields Class of 2020 graduate began treatment in New York City immediately, with his family and friends the Island-wide, and now fans across the entire sports world sending him endless well wishes at each stopgap. This was made mightily apparent this past Saturday, May 28, when he paid an impromptu visit to the big-league squad’s clubhouse prior to the Phils’ Citi Field-set face-off against the Mets.
There to encourage the players he hopes to one day call teammates when he can put this unwelcome illness promptly behind him, the visit truly meant something to all those privileged to be on-hand. “The kid is a fighter and he is a strong kid. He is mentally strong. He is tough,” Phillies manager and former New York Yankee manager Joe Girardi said after the game. “His whole family was here. He spoke to us and it was pretty moving.”
In the days since, Phelan has gained much-deserved national recognition for what his appearance meant to the ball club, to the game, and for the human spirit in general.
“The overwhelming support and positive messages,” Phelan noted, “especially through prayer, fuels me and keeps me moving forward.”
Phelan singles out speaking to ex-ace pitcher John Lester, and current New York Yankee first-basemen Anthony Rizzo’s foundation – each a World Series winner who suffered, then conquered bouts with cancer early on, well before forming their All-Star pedigrees. He considered it therapeutic to learn he is not alone in the face of this specific adversity.
“I am blessed other professional players take the time to reach out and share words of encouragement. And the Phillies have also been incredible. Everyone has been unbelievable, treating me with nothing but love and support,” said Phelan.
Former MLB player and Hofstra University head baseball coach Frank Catalanotto, of St. James, wishes the fellow Suffolk born-and-bred pro all the best as he tackles this plight. He said when things like this happen to a teammate, “everyone takes notice.”
“It [a player falling ill] has a big impact on players. There’s things going on with people that are more important, bigger than the game; you’re reminded that you’ve just got to count your blessings.”
Some of Phelan’s closest friends and confidants on his professional journey are counting one blessing in mind during this trying time: what an honor it is to know someone who sets quite the example in how to manage life’s sharpest curveballs.
“When we [minor leaguers] were sent home for Covid in 2020, I was looking for someone to play catch with and went to Corey’s team practice to play catch with him. All of a sudden, he was taller than me and had a hell of an arm too,” said Nick Fanti, 25, of Hauppauge, selected in the 31st-round by the Phillies in 2015. The pair met later that year at a pitching clinic where Fanti coached, as the next big lefty to come out of the Island a Phillie-bound flamethrower listened in, only 13-years-old at the time.
“In the following months [over the first summer of Covid] he ended up signing with the Phillies and became my teammate. Seeing Corey go about his business with regards to being a professional ballplayer pushed me to be better and re-established my own love and excitement for it during a time where I was dealing with injuries. He probably doesn’t realize this but he pushed me to keep going.”
Fanti and the rest of Phelan’s Long Island Baseball brethren took to social media to post the heartwarming footage of his presence in the Phillies clubhouse this past weekend. While there, Phelan handed out a green bracelet to every player, and told them he watches every one of their games.
“Originally, my disease was acting like a T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma and now it’s turning more toward leukemia because I have a lot more cancer cells in my bone marrow,” Phelan revealed via telephone after the game. “[Doctors] are saying they have seen two cases similar to this before.”
“Corey is a strong dude and he will get through this,” Fanti added. “He has an amazing family, and two of the best people in the world as parents in Chris and Christie, so the support is there.”
Corey’s father, Chris Phelan, often tells Corey, “this is the tough stuff, and when you step back on that mound, everything else will be easy; just keep your faith and it will all work out.”
“To see your child go through something like this is something no one is ever prepared for,” Chris admitted. “But the amount of love and support we have seen from so many people has been so incredible and truly a blessing! We appreciate it all!”
Fanti concluded, “I was so happy he was able to make it to the game, he needed that. The guy loves baseball, and to be able to interact with the team will be the best day of his life until Corey himself is pitching for the Phils. Everyone here down in Clearwater is here for him, and we couldn’t be prouder.”
Everyone in the old neighborhood is, too. We at The Messenger send Corey and his family the best of wishes and sincerest of prayers on his path to a speedy recovery.
