The family of 7-year-old Dominic DiAngi of Frankfurt say they are grateful to people all over the world who prayed for their son's recovery. Last Thursday, a foul ball off the bat of Ted Lilly struck Dominic in the head and fractured his skull. It was the child's first Cubs game and he is an avid fan.
After being in intensive care for almost a week, 7-year-old Dominic DiAngi was really looking forward to seeing his siblings.
"My brother thinks it stinks," said Dominic.
This past week has been an emotional roller coaster for the family, not knowing whether or not their son would survive the serious injury. Peter DiAngi and Dominic's older brother were with him at the game when he got hit.
"The speed of that ball, and then seeing him down, knowing that he took the full brunt of it, it just sickened me. And I -- that was the most -- that moment there was probably the scariest moment that I have ever felt," said Peter DiAngi, Dominic's father.
"I'm very grateful right now. I'm just overwhelmed and emotional. But I couldn't ask for a better outcome. We were terrified," said Pamela DiAngi, Dominic's mother.
"We were worried as to which way things would go in the next 12 hours after that. And then the follow-up imaging and his clinical exam really got -- he was improving from the beginning," said Tord Alden, neurosurgeon.
The family says this is the most traumatic, terrifying experience they have ever faced, and it has certainly changed their outlook on life.
"I think that there are a lot more good people out in this world than I imagined because of the outpouring that we've experienced," said Peter DiAngi.
Dominic's parents say that he just lives, eats and breathes baseball. On Saturday, Ted Lilly and Derrek Lee visited him in the hospital. He says he is looking forward to going back to Wrigley Field for a Cubs game.
Dominic and family left the hospital Wednesday to go back home to Frankfort and will be back in a month for a check up. Doctors say he is now on anti-seizure medicine and will be taken off of it Thursday. He will not be playing baseball for awhile.
Doctors added that as a result of his injury Dominic does not have a recollection of what happened. Doctors will be monitoring him very closely over the next six months with imaging and cognitive tests.
