SEATTLE — For someone thrust so quickly into the spotlight of heroism, few people might handle the attention with more humility, humor and showmanship than Brady Olson.
But Olson suggests that cool demeanor could have been what led him to restrain a 16-year-old student firing a handgun last month -- where Olson teaches at North Thurston High School.
On a balmy spring night at Seattle’s Safeco Field, Olson’s friends and family came to watch him throw the first ceremonial pitch before the Mariners dramatically walked-off the Oakland Athletics with a home run in 11 innings.
Olson used the chance to make his own pitch to teens in trouble.
“We are there as adults, as teachers, as parents,” Olson said before taking the mound. “At no time is there a no-win solution for issues that (teenagers) might be feeling."
Olson’s friend Dave Whaley was one of dozens who watched Olson take the field.
"We can't bow down to him enough," Whaley said, showing T-shirts friends made for the event, emblazoned with the phrase -- “What Would Brady Do?”
“This is all fun and games, and he's enjoying this, Whaley said. “But the bottom line is he saved lives and he put himself into that position to be able to save those lives."
KIRO-7’s Gary Horcher asked Olson if he would throw a trick pitch.
“We'll see, it might be a slow breaker," he replied.
As he warmed up in the tunnel outside of the Oakland dugout, Olson thought, “What will my students think?”
“I hope I throw a strike,” Olson said, while playing catch with his son. “We'll see what happens. I've been working out daily, hours a day. We'll see if it has any positive impact."
Brady Olson's pitch seemed to hit the target long before he threw the baseball on the mound at Safeco Field.
When he enveloped the gun-firing student, he told the student that people cared for him, and he would be getting the help he needed.
After Olson threw a strike from the mound, he fired an imaginary arrow to the sky -- like a prayer for every teen he teaches.
“The message I want to send is, there are people who care,” he said. “I want to have an impact in a positive way, and if this helps to do that, then I'm all for it!"
KIRO
