What makes an underdog?
By pure definition, it encompasses an individual going through hardships and rising from them. It shows that even the little guy, despite some obstacles in the way, doesn’t let those stop an ultimate goal from being achieved.
There have been plenty of those stories spread throughout sports.
The United States beating the USSR in men’s hockey; UMBC knocking off Virginia in the NCAA men’s basketball Tournament, the first No. 16 seed to topple a No. 1 seed; San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy going from Mr. Irrelevant to the Super Bowl.
America roots for the underdog. It is the lifeline of society to pray for the downfall of goliath. That the person who took the hard route is rewarded in the end.
Even as Brock Peterson’s life went one way and is now in the exact opposite direction, he still remains hopeful on what the future has in store.
“There’s a lot of people that care for me and want the best for me,” he said. “Just try to find a way to keep moving forward.”
In the three years since the diving accident that has left the 13-year professional baseball player paralyzed, the day-to-day operations of Brock’s day are ever-changing.
Being in a wheelchair has not hindered Brock’s ability to hang out with his peers. He’s been to concerts, meets up with a group of friends every Tuesday night and talks with other adaptive athletes.
Childhood companions raved about Brock being a social butterfly in person. That hasn’t changed.
“He was still cracking jokes. He acclimates to the situation,” friend Dan Stillman said. “He was doing better and that was really good to see.”
There are days where people from back home wish they could reach out to Brock more.
Still, the feelings are heavy from people that lived and still live in Lewis County.
“We talk periodically,” childhood buddy Sawyer Smith said. “I’ve reached out to him and we keep in touch on how his rehab is going as far as that whole process. It is never as often as we wish it could be.”
Baseball remains the best avenue for Brock to strike up a conversation. Colin Roberson, his former teammate in the Atlantic League, has two sons under the age of 10 who play baseball.
When Brock is able to be there at games, he is.
“They know him as a ball player like me,” Roberson said. “People gravitate towards him. He’s got a really good support system, not just baseball, but a surf community, work, school. When he got hurt, the amount of love was unreal. For a guy that didn’t grow up here, it was just like ‘Wow.’”
Even though Brock was only with the St. Louis Cardinals for just over 20 games in 2013, he was still invited back to Busch Stadium in 2023 for the 10-year anniversary of the last Cardinals team to make the World Series.
There was some hesitation on going.
“He was on the fence,” Stillman stated. “The Cardinals are a first-class organization. I jumped, I was like ‘Of course man.’ I was honored to go.”
Brock’s time in Missouri is remembered fondly looking back. After all, that franchise revived his affiliated baseball career.
He took pictures with Stillman on the field and was with his teammates in the ceremony. He chatted with his former manager – Mike Matheny – too.
For adaptive athletes, there are very few facilities on the planet in order to rebuild strength. Some cost a boatload of money and aren’t open everyday of the week.
So when Brock first heard about Kaizen Adaptive Training right in the heart of downtown Virginia Beach, he didn’t hesitate on checking it out.
“We saw it on Instagram and we knew it was right down the street,” Brock said. “Being really active before my injury, just trying to find stuff to do. It kind of made sense.”
Kaizen is open four days a week and Brock goes every day. He spends roughly 60-90 minutes doing various arm workouts, getting some strength back in any way possible.
There’s stations for biceps and triceps pulls, PVC pipe that’s used as a variation of a bench press and more. They’ll also go outside for a little bit for fresh air.
One week it was in the low-to-mid 90s and Brock at one point just sat by the fan and did his workout while cold air was barreling down.
“It is pretty remarkable,” Brock said. “My only goal is to be active.”
Emily Throckmorton is the owner of Kaizen. She was motivated after being in a gym with other wounded warriors and seeing that there wasn’t a better resource for them in the area.
“I saw there was a huge need for this,” Throckmorton said. “That no excuse mentality that I witnessed. They were proving to me that they had every excuse there was, they were doing it anyway. That was so moving to me.”
Through donations, the facility is free for all adaptive athletes.
Her relationship with Brock was an instant click. They experimented with various ways to improve strength and if something wasn’t working, it would halt.
Yet what Throckmorton feels is the best part for Brock is his ability to be with a team again. One day after the workout was over, he and three of his buddies all talked for around 30 minutes.
Flashback to the days in the clubhouse and that same energy was palpable.
“Him and I both needed each other,” Throckmorton said. “This was a safe place where he could vent, talk about the day and be with other spinal cord injury athletes.
“Honestly, he is the reason why the majority of those people come back because he is so inviting. He wants more people to come in.”
There was a time when the science aspect of everything that happened did peak Brock’s interest. At the start, he didn’t go down a rabbit hole, but he did gander at anything noteworthy.
Whenever there is a clinical trial for his injury, he does sign up.
“All of us that had this happen have quickly become experts,” Brock said. “The first year or two, I was constantly reading and searching. If something happens, I’m sure I’ll hear about it.”
Smith is a doctor that currently lives in the Portland area. He did offer some insight on what Brock is going through from a physical perspective.
The general basis is that a spinal injury like Brock’s reacts and rehabs in their own way.
“These injuries are very different for each person,” Smith said. “The other part is, a lot of these injuries evolve over time. I tried to be as honest and straightforward.”
Brock has good days and bad days. Through it all, his mom Cathy Peterson is by his side.
And no matter what his mood is like, she will always be there for him in whatever he needs.
“I try to do the same routine everyday,” Cathy said. “He knows the routine and that’s just how we move forward everyday.”
It has been over three years since July 3, 2021. Brock has come to terms that his life will be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
Yet, he does remain hopeful some medical advancements can get him walking again.
“I’m not going to hold my breath, but I know there’s things getting worked on in the scientific world,” Brock said. “I can just hope something gets figured out, hopefully quickly. If they do, it would be a miracle.”
Cathy and Norm are in the same boat.
“How can you not be proud of him trying to get better?” she said. “Would I like to see him run down the street again? Yes. Do I hope it will happen? Yes.”
“There might be some technology (coming) up that he will,” he added.
Everyone else in Brock’s life, they all say the same thing, but word it differently: Don’t count out Brock.
– Bill Lohr, former MLB scout based in Centralia: “His will power is different from most people. You can see things in special people. He stood out from the rest..”
– Rich Bunker, former W.F. West assistant baseball coach: “If anybody can walk again, he can. He worked harder than anybody I’ve ever been around.”
– Kyle Aselton, childhood friend: “If an accident were to happen to someone and someone took it head on, it would be Brock. I know he has to go through it day in and day out. From a mental standpoint, he’s as tough as it gets. He is going to keep battling and keep fighting and try to find a way.”
– Kolten Wong, former teammate in Memphis: “I feel like a lot of things in this world, through hard work, anything can happen. Knowing Brock, the person he is, there is a chance. Miracles happen.”
Before he was a pro and before the accident, all Brock was known for back in Chehalis was being one of the most electrifying hitters, a good football player and a supportive teammate in basketball.
Through it all, he remains grateful for where he grew up. The fundraisers that have aided his new life have been the most eye-opening.
“The smallest text has helped as well and all of the support,” Brock said. “I’ve gotten so much support I can’t thank everybody.”
Norm is still out in Lewis County everyday. He knows how much the community of W.F. West is behind Brock and still thinking about him.
“He still has a lot to contribute,” Norm said. “He’s always got a smile. He lit up the room.”
And now this new community in Virginia Beach has been right behind Brock, too.
“What people in our community back home and my family have done and did the fundraising was unbelievable,” Cathy said. “The friends he has here that did the fundraising was unbelievable.”
What makes an underdog?
Perhaps the most critical part is the ability to have plenty of people by your side. From the day of birth, to the neighborhood playground, to the high school hallways, to the baseball locker room, to the hospital and to all the friends made along the way.
All of those connections add up to a bounty of care.
“The last thing I told him when I walked out of the hospital was ‘You could be dead. You are here for a reason and I love you,’” Roberson said. “I didn't lose my best friend that day. I think about that all the time.”
And Brock knows what it all means to him.
“I’ve seen families abandon their family members,” he said. “For my family and my friends that have, pretty much since day one, said they'll do anything they can for me, I feel extremely lucky. I don’t think anybody else is as lucky as me.
“Everybody sticks together. The support has been overwhelming. I’m very thankful for it.”
