COLUMBUS, OH - For the fifth straight year, the Columbus Clippers are proud to honor one young man's legacy while highlighting the critical importance of organ donation.
On Saturday, August 1 when the Clippers square off against the Toledo Mud Hens at 7:05pm, it will be a night to celebrate the memory of John Mullins, who passed away during a Little League game in Columbus in 2019.
John was an organ donor and through Lifeline of Ohio positively impacted many lives in his passing. One of those individuals was Mark Frick, who received a double lung replacement. Mark will throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to Saturday night's game.
Mark is an incredibly intelligent, courageous, and resilient young man who has faced life's challenges with remarkable strength and determination. Through the extraordinary gift of organ donation, he has been given the opportunity to continue living life to the fullest.
Saturday's ceremonial first pitch is something Mark has taken to heart. He has spent time practicing in preparation for this one special throw, and the Clippers are honored to host him at Huntington Park.
While John is deeply missed every single day, his legacy continues to shine through the lives he saved. The gift he gave has created a bond that will forever unite the Mullins and Frick families—a bond built not only through loss, but through hope, love, and the precious gift of life.
When Mark stands on the mound Saturday, he will carry with him more than a baseball. He carries a living reminder that heroes don't always wear uniforms. Sometimes, they leave a legacy that continues to breathe, to dream, and to inspire others.
Please join us Saturday in celebrating John's enduring legacy and to give a heartfelt welcome to Mark Frick as he throws out the ceremonial first pitch.
We hope Mark's pitch reminds us all that one selfless decision can change countless lives. Today, we honor both a remarkable young man on the mound and the extraordinary legacy of John Mullins that continues to live on.
Remembering John Mullins (by Erica Mullins):
John was a unique boy with an old soul—something we recognized at a very early age. Whether he was reading to his little sister or teaching her the dos and don'ts of life, he carried himself with a wisdom far beyond his years. At the end of a long day, he often sought quiet moments to decompress. Sometimes he would sit alone, lost in thought and dreaming about the future. Other times, he would simply lean back, cross his legs, and rest his hands behind his head, content to reflect on the day.
John loved to compete in sports and worked tirelessly to become the best version of himself. He approached everything in life with the same determination. He wanted to excel not only on the field but also in music and in the classroom, and if success required hard work, he embraced the challenge without hesitation.
Most importantly, John developed a selfless way of thinking and living at a remarkably young age. He cared deeply about others, and that spirit of generosity became the foundation of his greatest legacy. Through the gift of organ, eye, and tissue donation, John's compassion continues to change lives, ensuring that his legacy of love and selflessness lives on.
The summer John passed away, he had just completed his final year of elementary school. When someone asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up, his answer was simple yet revealing: "I want to be a businessman so I can give back to my community in some way."
I believe that dream came not only from the kind of person John was, but also from the unique perspective he had on life. Every day before he left the house, we would tell him, "Always be big." At the time, we thought it was simply a reminder to be kind, respectful, and to make good choices. Little did we know those two words would come to define who he was.
To us, being "big" meant recognizing that you are just one small piece of something much greater. Your life is important, but so is the life of every person around you. It meant not getting so caught up in your own day-to-day struggles that you miss the opportunity to lift someone else up. It meant understanding that your community is your team, and that by serving your team, you help make the world a better place.
John embraced that mindset every single day. It shaped the way he treated others, the way he lived, and the quiet difference he made in the lives of so many people. We knew it was making him into a remarkable young man, but we had no idea just how deeply he had impacted his community until after he passed away on Father's Day in 2019.
Only then did we begin to hear the countless stories of kindness, compassion, and encouragement that he had shared with others—moments we had never witnessed, but that forever changed the lives of those who experienced them. Even in his short life, John had truly lived the words, "Always Be Big.
In the same spirit of generosity that defined him, the decision to donate John's organs allowed his legacy to continue in the most profound way. Through organ donation, he saved five lives and enhanced many others through eye and tissue donation. This extraordinary gift reflected the same selflessness he showed throughout his life, extending his impact far beyond what we could have ever imagined.
Just as John lived with this mindset, we strive to carry it forward in our own lives as well. It shows up in small, quiet gestures that leave a lasting impact on those around us, and in the way we continue to share John's story in hopes of inspiring others to "Always Be Big".