Former Crystal Lake Central pitcher Ty Marotz and wife getting community support for their infant son

Ty and Liz Marotz have been blown away by the outpouring of support they have received during a time of need, they said.

Marotz, a former pitcher at Crystal Lake Central and Arizona State, makes his living helping athletes achieve their goals as director at Trinity Athletics Center in Lake in the Hills.

Trinity is an indoor facility which specializes in baseball and softball, but also does other sports. Now, it’s Marotz and his wife who are receiving help from family, friends and others regarding health issues their nearly one-month-old son, George, is experiencing.

George was born on Sept. 20 and has been diagnosed with a medical condition that affects his pancreas. While the condition often corrects itself, it has not in his son’s case and could require surgery, Marotz said.

Kendall Popp, a family friend, started an online fundraiser to help with the Marotzes’ medical expenses that had raised $16,130 as of Thursday afternoon. The goal is $25,000.

“I don’t even know the words to accurately describe it,” Marotz said of the support. “The closest thing I can come up with is just being overwhelmed. Totally blessed, totally overwhelmed, just completely taken by … just thankful. I started sobbing uncontrollably when I heard (about the page). Even now, talking about it, I have a hard time fighting off (tears).”

Popp’s son Mason plays in the Illinois Phenom baseball program, which Marotz coaches with. She wanted to help someone who has been instrumental in her son’s life.

“Ty has been such a positive role model for him and so many others,” Popp said. “He has a great way of connecting with the players, not only with his baseball knowledge, but also teaching them how to be positive and respectful young men.

“The outreach from this community is a true testament to the impact he has had on our kids. There is no family more deserving. We hit our original goal of $15,000 (on Wednesday) and set a new goal. I have no doubt we will surpass that.”

Currently, George’s condition is being controlled with medication. Marotz said the next step for his son will be a trip to Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia, which has one of three scanning machines in the U.S. that doctors need to examine George, who currently is being cared for at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

The trip to Philadelphia will require four to six weeks where specialists will examine George to determine the next treatment. Marotz said the Lurie doctors are confident George will need a surgery that has a success rate higher than 96%.

“There’s a lot of bridges in our future we’re going to have to cross with him,” Marotz said. “There’s a lot of unknowns yet with everything, but we trust in God’s plan that He’s in charge and whatever happens, it’ll be for the best. (George) is in really good hands.”

Source: The Daily Chronicle