Zion Harvey's great progress after Double Hand Transplant

The reason most eight-year-olds don’t play baseball anymore is, well, the same reason no one does: it’s kinda slow and boring.

But for Baltimore youngster Zion Harvey, the reason was something entirely different. When he was two years old, Harvey contracted a bacterial infection that required amputations on both hands to prevent organ failure.

But last year, he became the recipient of the first bilateral hand transplant in a child, and today, he can throw a ball, swing a bat and is even pushing to play football. Following the surgery — which took 40 surgeons, nurses and anesthesiologists 10 hours to finish — Harvey is doing 15 hours of occupational therapy per week and his hands are even growing.

“I can bend them. I can eat,” Zion told CNN. “I think it’s amazing. I don’t know what they (the doctors) think, but I think it’s amazing.”

Somebody chopping onions in here? Pass the tissues.

Meet your guide

Evan Bleier

Evan is a senior editor with InsideHook who earned a master’s degree in journalism from NYU and has called Brooklyn home since 2006. A fan of Boston sports, Nashville hot chicken and Kentucky bourbon, Evan has had his work published in publications including “Maxim,” Bleacher Report and “The Daily Mail.”