VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.— A simple baseball game brought a little healing to the family and friends of former Virginia Beach Fire Department Captain Matthew Chiaverotti.
Kempsville PONY Baseball, an organization Chiaverotti coached in through the last few years, honored the firefighter on Saturday after he passed away from a courageous battle with thyroid cancer.
Matthew's son, Gus, threw out the first pitch before his team played a game on Saturday. Gus and his Bronco Orioles squad wore special uniforms with his father's Engine 7 logo on the front and his nickname 'Chevy' on the left sleeve. The league presented his wife, Sara, with a check with money raised for the family.
"This would've made Matt's day and especially to see Gus so proud," Sara said. "To be out here and everybody honoring his daddy too. It's really cool."
"When something like this happens, it really makes you think," said KPB president John Shipp. "When you have a tragic death like Matt's, it makes you remember what's important."
Captain Chiaverotti's fellow firefighters from Engine 7 and across the Virginia Beach Fire Department attended the game to be there for the family.
"We know Matt is here with us," Captain Craig Brown said. "There's no doubt in my mind that Matt's here watching his son right now."
It was a break for just a few hours for a family that's been hurting since Chiaverotti's death last Monday. The outpouring of support has been overwhelming for Sara as she and her family continue to find ways to move forward.
"Gus and I are learning how to do life without Matt being there," Sara said. "It hasn't been easy but we haven't felt alone. While it's challenging, we know we have a support system that's endless."
