Derek Holland honors teen with rare immune deficiency disorder in first start back

Derek Holland honors teen with rare disease in return

By Michael Clair

September 3, 2014

While Derek Holland is usually known as one of the goofiest Major Leaguers (his mustache and celebrity impressions stand out), the Rangers starter wasn't making any jokes during Tuesday's Rangers-Royals game.

When Holland stepped onto the mound for the first time since his dog-playing injury before the season started, he honored 18-year-old Briggs Berry -- who he befriended in the ICU.

As Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports, Briggs suffers from a rare immune deficiency disorder known as X-Linked Hyper IGM Syndrome. Following complications from a bone marrow transplant, doctors thought that Briggs may have only 24 hours left to live. On Tuesday, he was still fighting.

So Holland did what he could to help that fight. His cleats bore Briggs' name:

He also wrote "Briggs" on the back of the mound.

Derek Holland

Said Holland before the start:

"I want to be back on the mound, and that's huge. But I want to do this for him, as well. I want to show him that not only is he fighting, but I'm fighting, too; we are both fighting together."