There was a time that Cori Fennell could only watch her son's Little League games online. Now, she's headed to Bristol, CT for Regionals.
BRAINTREE — Cori Fennell is no longer dependent on a livestream.
When the Braintree American Little League team loaded the bus at 7 a.m. on Friday morning, ahead of a departure to Connecticut for the New England Regional tournament, the mother of the team's catcher was eager to gather the family together for a road trip.
This summer, Fennell assumed her usual spot in the bleachers to cheer on her son Ryan and his Little League team as they won Braintree American's first-ever state championship and presently sit one round away from clinching a berth in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA.
In February, Fennell, 48, was told there was "no evidence of disease" following a 17-month-long bout with colon cancer that began in September, 2023. During that span, she watched every one of Ryan's baseball and hockey games on the town's LiveBarn streaming service in between treatment cycles.
"She is his biggest fan," said Deb Fasoli, a close friend whose husband, Frank, coaches the Little League team.
“It was really, really sad not knowing if you’re going to be able to see all of his milestones," Cori Fennell said. "And then you realize that you are present in the moment and you are seeing these milestones (on the livestream). Stop thinking you’re dying and start thinking like you’re living for today. And, I am. It has been successful.”
“I knew she was watching online so I tried my best for her," Ryan Fennell said.
Cori Fennell grew up in Abington and was part of the track and field program at Abington High in high school. She currently works as a special education physical therapist in the Braintree school system and lives in town with her husband, Declan, a fellow Abington native who attended the now-closed Don Bosco Technical High School in Boston, and three kids -- Eamonn (19, an Archbishop Williams grad), Colin (16, Braintree High) and Ryan, 12.
Fennell said her cancer diagnosis "came out of the blue." Despite having zero previous health complications and an active, runner's lifestyle, she felt pain while at home one day and immediately went to the emergency room at South Shore hospital in Weymouth.
She then received treatments at Mass. General Hospital and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
“It was the doctors, successful treatment and community that rallied us out of that emotional spot that we were in," said Cori Fennell, who acknowledged both of the Braintree American and Braintree Bandits baseball teams for their support. “From the meals, to the rides, to watching over (Ryan) when we weren’t able to be there, to the athletics, to the coaches treating him like a kid first and athlete second, believing in him and our family, it’s been the greatest experience.”
The cancer battle coincided with Ryan's budding athletic career. In baseball, he's been playing behind the plate since the Braintree American team first assembled years ago, and his favorite player is Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran. In hockey, he plays right wing and idolizes David Pastrňák of the Bruins.
“I was sad, but this baseball and hockey community really helped me get through it," Ryan Fennell said of learning about his mother's cancer diagnosis.
"Like Ryan handles everything, it almost seems like when stress and challenging things come up, he just takes everything in the same stride," Fasoli said. "He dealt with it very maturely for his age. ... He’s the heart and soul of (the team). He’s our laid-back guy. Ryan doesn’t get worked up; he reminds me of that surfer-dude mentality. But he still goes out there and gives you 150% in whatever he does."
When Ryan was 8 years old, he came up with the walk-off hit to win his Braintree American Blue team the Friendship League Championship in 2021. The Friendship League consists of approximately 70 South Shore and Eastern Mass. teams, and Fennell's big hit crowned himself and his friends as champions on East Braintree's Little League field.
“After that, we knew we were a great team and we could do this," Ryan Fennell said.
Fennell will soon wear his catcher's gear when he's in the camera shot for each and every one of the opposing team's at-bats at the New England regional tournament... which is broadcasted worldwide on ESPN.
Mom won't need a streaming service to watch this time, though.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Braintree Little League's Ryan Fennell plays for mom's cancer battle
Category: General Sports
