Man with bionic arm throws out first pitch at Brewers game

MILWAUKEE -- Sometimes tragedy can lead to a happy ending.  Matt Razink of Medford lost his arm to a construction accident six years ago, but that did not stop him from throwing out the first pitch at Miller Park Sunday, June 3rd.  Razink has a state-of-the-art bionic arm. He's the first civilian to receive one.

The prosthetic, called the Michelangelo hand, allows Razink to move a thumb, and open and close the hand using sensors.  When the Milwaukee Brewers heard Razink's story, they offered his family the opportunity to go to Spring Training and throw out the first pitch.

Razink says losing his arm was life-changing. 

"My biggest thing is with three kids at home, it was kind of a role reversal.  They were helping me zip my jacket and tie my shoes, where I should have been teaching them things," Razink said.

Getting his new hand has had just as big of an impact -- like giving this die-hard Brewers fan the opportunity to throw out the first pitch.

"It's memories that we'll have forever.  Some things happen for a reason, and if this had to happen to me to bring everyone together, then I'm happy," Razink said.

Razink says he wasn't ready for the long throw with the prosthetic yet, instead choosing to grip the ball, and hold it up to the crowd.  Something he says would have been very difficult before.  Raznik then switched hands to throw out the first pitch.

Brewers pitchers John Axford and Randy Wolf helped deliver Razink's new arm earlier this year.