Opening Day always takes Jonathan Keane back to a life-changing moment at Fenway Park. At just four years old, he was struck in the head by a foul ball — a terrifying incident captured in a now-famous photo of Red Sox legend Jim Rice rushing him to an ambulance.
Now 43, living in North Carolina with his wife and three kids, Keane says that day taught him to cherish every moment. “You’ve got to live every second,” he said. “And it takes someone truly special to do what Jim Rice did.”
Keane doesn’t remember much from that August 1982 game, but he does recall the magic of Fenway — the smell of hot dogs and sausages, and the field that seemed impossibly green. Even now, the start of baseball season stirs those memories and brings hope.
“Baseball being back, with fans in the stands, just feels like life returning to normal,” he said. “But we can’t take it for granted.”
Keane, now the CEO of a growing business and married to a nurse, remains grounded in what matters most — family, gratitude, and the joy of the game.
