Nine-year-old Bentley Fontan throws out first pitch at D’Iberville high baseball game

Prior to first pitch at the D’Iberville- St. Martin baseball game, the ceremonial first pitch was thrown out by nine-year-old Bentley Fontan, a third grader at Popp’s Ferry Elementary in Biloxi.

The D’Iberville baseball team recently raised almost $2,000 in his honor as a heart hero of the American Heart Association.

Bentley was born with a rare congenital heart disease, known as Shone’s Complex Syndrome, which left him with a five to seven percent chance of survival.

He’s defied those odds, having gone through two open heart surgeries and is likely to have a third soon. American Heart Association Youth Market Director Liz Young said, “D’Iberville High School raised the most of any high school in Mississippi this year, so we’re so thankful to them for stepping up to the plate – literally – and doing this in Bentley’s honor and helping American Heart Association.”

Tonight’s pre-game event was a part of D’Iberville’s annual Hits for Heart campaign started by Head Coach Craigin Gilbert about eight years ago.