Originally scheduled for Wednesday, March 23, the Henry Pearson memorial event was rained out and postponed until next week.
When Mira Costa hosts El Segundo in a doubleheader on Monday, March 28, the event will offer more than a match up between two of the area’s top baseball programs.
The twin bill at Marine Park in Manhattan Beach begins at 4:30 p.m. and will honor former Mira Costa baseball stars Henry Pearson and Jon Wilhite and two others who were victims of a tragic DUI accident while providing a message to the community about the perils of driving under the influence.
In April of 2009, the baseball community was shocked after Andrew Gallo ran a red light after hours of drinking, broadsiding a Mitsubishi Eclipse, killing 22-year-old Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart, 20-year-old Courtney Stewart, 25-year-old Henry Pearson and severely injuring Jon Wilhite, then 24.
The accident made national news and in December, 2010 Gallo was sentenced to 51 year to life in prison.
A small group of citizens in Manhattan Beach have been working with the Pearson and Wilhite families, as well as Mira Costa High School baseball coach Cassidy Olson, to establish a high school game(s) that will send a message each year against DUI, especially to youth.
Wilhite will throw out the first pitch and between games there will be a brief ceremony involving the families and MADD representatives.
Reviving Baseball in the Inner Cities (RBI) founder, former MLB player and scout John Young will throw out the first pitch of the second game. The event will focus on the fun of playing baseball while providing a strong message against DUI.Â
The Pearson family has reached out to support RBI to honor Henry’s love for the game. Areta and Nigel Pearson (Henry’s parents), and his sister, Jessica Pearson, as well as the Jon Wilhite, and his family, want to reach out in a positive way and save lives by making a public statement warning youth (and others) as to the tragic consequences of DUI.
Local elected officials will attend to endorse this non-partisan event, as DUI accidents are unbiased. MBPD Chief Rod Uyeda and MBFD Battalion Chief Frank Chiella will also be there to add their support to the anti-DUI event. ER
