Brielle Saracini came full circle at her cherished Yankee Stadium on Friday, throwing out the ceremonial first pitch 25 years after the death of her father on September 11. Saracini was 10 years old when her father, United Airlines pilot Victor Saracini, died when his hijacked Flight 175 collided with the South Tower of the World Trade Center, according to arkansasonline.com.
A Full Circle Moment 25 Years Later
The tragedy set into motion a sequence of events that led Saracini to form an enduring bond with her childhood idol, generational superstar Derek Jeter. Saracini was accompanied by Jeter at center field and at the post-ceremony press conference. Reflecting on meeting families after the attacks, Jeter told reporters that it was the first time as an athlete that he questioned why he was playing.
And then you had a chance to meet a lot of family members who lost loved ones, and Brielle is right at the top of the list … that’s when you realize that our job was to win. At least try to give people something to cheer for for a few hours a day,
Jeter said.
An Unlikely Bond and Family Ties
In addition to connecting with Jeter, Saracini met her husband, Sean McGuire—whose father also died in the South Tower—two years after the attacks at a camp for children who lost a parent on September 11. The couple married in 2017. McGuire stood by her side as she took the mound wearing a jersey for New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza, while Saracini wore Yankees pinstripes. McGuire also threw a pitch during the pre-game ceremony.
You’re so happy and thankful for so many things that have come your way after 9/11,
Saracini explained, adding, But it comes at a terrible price.
Over the years, Saracini and Jeter kept in touch through periodic check-ins and meetings. Saracini shared a personal health struggle with reporters, noting that during a battle with cancer, she received a personal voicemail from Jeter wishing her well and telling her to keep her head down and stay positive. She recalled replaying the voicemail in the hospital to remind herself that she had someone in her corner.
A Bittersweet Pitch and Subway Series Commemorations
Although Saracini joked with reporters that her ceremonial pitch was not up to her standards because she bounced it, she felt it was a bittersweet moment that would have made her father proud.
My dad would probably open up by saying, ‘I taught you how to throw. How did you bounce it?’ And then he would give me a big hug and say, ‘You did great, kid,’
Saracini said. He would also then immediately turn to Derek and say, ‘Thank you for taking care of my girl.’
The pitch was part of a series of commemorations at the Bronx stadium during a Subway Series matchup between the Yankees and the Mets. The game invoked memories of baseball’s role as a symbol of American resilience following the September 11 attacks, when the New York Mets played the Atlanta Braves in Queens, and then-President George W. Bush threw a ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium on October 30 during Game 3 of the World Series.
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