Fairbanks honors daughter with K-campaign

This story was excerpted from Adam Berry’s Rays Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

ST. PETERSBURG -- For Pete Fairbanks, every strikeout is special.

Whenever the Rays’ closer strikes out a batter, Pete and his wife Lydia donate $100 to the Turner Syndrome Foundation, a contribution matched by the Rays Baseball Foundation. It’s the kind of charitable activity being brought into the spotlight with the return of Players' Weekend, which will highlight fun parts of players’ personalities as well as causes close to their hearts.

And this cause is deeply meaningful for the Fairbanks family.

Last fall, Pete and Lydia learned they were expecting their third child, a girl they named Ellis. An abnormal ultrasound led to weeks of uncertainty and questions as they waited for test results, only to learn nine weeks in that Ellis likely had Turner Syndrome, a random genetic disorder caused by a missing chromosome that only affects females.

When survived, it’s a treatable and manageable condition. But the Fairbanks were often harshly reminded of the devastating odds against them during those difficult weeks: Only 1-3 percent of babies diagnosed with Turner Syndrome survive birth, with the overwhelming majority resulting in miscarriage.

All they could do was wait and pray for the best.

“The unknown of the diagnosis, difficulty receiving care, and the odds that were repeated to us every appointment made it difficult to see the light,” Lydia wrote online.

Just before the 20-week mark, they lost Ellis. Through their grief and sadness, the Fairbanks were still determined to see the light for their little girl.

“Ellis met milestones we were told she wouldn’t, and she taught us the importance of life and being present,” Lydia wrote. “Ellis was a fighter.”

Looking to honor their daughter and spread awareness about Turner Syndrome, filling in the gaps they found during their experience, Lydia set out to find a way to give back. She did some research that led her to the Turner Syndrome Foundation. From there, the Fairbanks came up with the “Strikeouts for Ellis” campaign, with $100 going to the foundation for every one of Pete’s strikeouts.

“It seemed like a good fit, and we're excited to contribute and help raise awareness and funds throughout the year,” Pete said. “I think once Lyd has her mind set on something, it's pretty easy to do.”

According to Laura Fasciano, the director and founding president of the Turner Syndrome Foundation, their contributions will provide “transformative support.” For one, the initiative has already increased awareness; that’s been impactful on a personal level for Fasciano, whose daughter has Turner Syndrome.

“There is no way that we would have this reach,” she said. “What does awareness mean? For a family like mine, it means that we don't have to explain it to everyone -- just to be seen, to be recognized, to be accepted. … Our whole platform is about educating to the point of empowerment.”

So far, Pete has racked up 41 strikeouts this season -- and the irony of him posting a career-low strikeout rate to this point (despite his overall dominance since coming off the injured list in May) is not lost on the quick-witted closer.

“I wish I could punch more tickets and raise more money that way,” he said, dryly. “Easy decision for [Lydia]. Harder job for me.”

He said he hasn’t put any more emphasis on picking up strikeouts, as he’s focused on doing his job on the mound, but acknowledged one specific outing was “pretty special.” He picked up a save with a scoreless ninth inning in Baltimore on June 2. It was Ellis’ due date.

“Obviously, you look for silver linings in things, and I think if we're able to pay this forward and help people to feel seen, that people that are a little more in the public eye have had similar experiences,” Pete said. “There were a lot more people than I think even we realized that have gone through something similar. I think that they were all very heartened to hear someone with a similar experience be open and public about it.”

And the per-strikeout donation is just one way the Fairbanks are giving back.

They’re raising money on the Givebutter fundraising platform, already 70% of the way to their goal of $50,000.

“We are motivated to help the Turner Syndrome Foundation bridge the gap between diagnosis and care,” Lydia wrote. “This season, we vow to honor Ellis and other families who have experienced loss.”

Last month, they held a two-week “Rays Up for Turner Syndrome” online auction featuring team memorabilia, experiences (like building a LEGO set with Pete or doing a crossword puzzle with him and fellow reliever/crossword enthusiast Colin Poche) and gift baskets put together by Rays players and their families.

With the help of Rays vice president of creative and brand Warren Hypes, they designed a logo for the campaign. It features Tampa Bay’s colors, a “K” (for strikeouts) and a butterfly, a symbol for Turner Syndrome. That logo is on merchandise available through the foundation’s website.

On July 28, the same day the Rays gave away a City Connect-themed Pete Fairbanks bobblehead to fans, they offered a group ticket package with proceeds going to the foundation. Pete’s Tampa Bay teammates wore “Strikeouts for Ellis” T-shirts on the field before the game, and representatives from the foundation, including Fasciano, made the trip to Tropicana Field for the game.

The Rays beat the Reds that day, 2-1. Pete pitched the ninth. With two outs, Will Benson took a called third strike -- and Pete wasn’t alone in celebrating another strikeout for Ellis.

“It was magical. We were up on our feet. Everyone was screaming,” Fasciano said. “It was just so magical. It was a moment, I have to say, that I don't think I'm going to forget.

“It's a heartbreaking story. We don't have the answers. There's not really a lot that we could even do to console them. And yet, somehow, they're consoling and helping everyone else. It is really such a testament to the people that they are.”