A heartwarming video of the hearing impaired 7-year-old signing with Heater and Dragons Green Team member Paul Minor has attracted the attention of media outlets around the country.
It has been featured on the websites of ABC News and NBC's Today Show among others.
Recorded at Fifth Third Field by Hunter’s parents, Matt and Cheri Samworth, the video has received nearly 50,000 views on YouTube.com since being posted May 27.
Hunter is nonverbal and technically deaf. He hears with the use of cochlear implants, his father said.
The boy asked his folks if he could talk to Heater before the Dragons’ May 24 game.
Cheri Samworth told Hunter to sign “nice to meet you” to Heater.
Samworth said he was blown away when Heater and Minor signed back at his son.
At one point, Heater asked Hunter if he liked baseball. Hunter signed back that Heater WAS baseball.
“That could be the Dragons new tag line,” Samworth joked.
People typically act startled when Hunter tries to communicate with sign language, his father said.
“It is almost like they are afraid because they don’t know what to do,” Samworth said. “To have someone who was finally able to communicate back to him at his level… it was just amazing.”
Samworth said he posted the video on YouTube because that was the easiest way to share it with his wife. He has been shocked by all the attention it has received.
Eric Deutsch, Dragons executive vice president, said the interaction happened naturally and was not planned.
Minor signs with his daughter and his wife teaches sign language at Sinclair Community College.
The actor playing Heater learned to sign for another job.
“They had a nice little moment with that little boy,” Deutsch said. “When you are able to add a little bit more like they did, it just makes it extra special.”
Contact this columnist at arobinson@DaytonDailyNews.com or Twitter.com/DDNSmartMouth
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