Divine timing allowed Braves' Hurston Waldrep to make MLB debut in front of mother

WASHINGTON – In December, Debbie Waldrep was diagnosed with breast cancer. Soon after that, she began treatment.

On May 31, she finished treatment, which she now believes to be divine timing.

“And then this happened,” she said. “So, it was almost like God had a plan, and he let me finish before this happened.”

By “this,” she is referring to her son’s major-league debut. She is sitting in Section 114 with her husband, Cliff, and their other children — Ryan, Morgan and Edon. In that same section, others are present: High school baseball coaches, a travel ball coach and family members. Many of them came from Thomasville, Ga., to see one of their own as he achieved a lifelong dream.

When Huston took the field for his first start, he crouched behind the mound before even throwing a warm-up pitch. This is his pregame prayer. “Everything that I do, pray before it,” he later said. Waldrep, who was raised a Baptist, used to wear a bracelet that said “Pray First.”

This – pitching in front of his mother after her treatment finished – was a blessing for him.

“Over the past couple months, it’s been pretty rough, not being at home and being able to support her through her journey,” he said. “She’s the strongest person I know. That’s where I get my work ethic from and my personality and who I am, and my stubbornness, too. But she’s amazing and to be able to have her there, knowing everything that she’s been through in the past couple weeks – her finishing up treatment and then all of this happening and aligning – it’s good to see a smile on her face.”

And to Hurston’s supporters, this day – his debut – meant everything.

“The emotions are through the roof,” Cliff, Hurston’s father, said.

“It’s a big day, not just for Hurston – it’s a big day for our community,” said Erik McDougald, Hurston’s head baseball coach at Thomasville High School. “And I think that’s a big testament (to Hurston).”

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