Miraculous stroke survivor Vinny Mercurio concentrating on baseball, football

Vinny Mercurio, whose miraculous recovery from a hemorrhagic stroke in 2017 was featured in the Beacon Journal a year ago, is no longer playing golf.

Mercurio, 14 and preparing to enter North Royalton High School, is participating in adaptive baseball and football through Achievement Centers for Children, a Cleveland-based non-profit.

“Baseball has always been his favorite,” his mother, Betty, said via phone on June 22.

Last year Mercurio was working with Erin Craig, a golf professional with The Turn, which provides innovative programs to people with disabilities at the Wharton Center at North Olmsted Golf Club. He was using an Ottobock paramobile, purchased through Northern Ohio Golf Charities with funds donated from Akron’s PGA and Champions Tour events.

Outside of his sports activities, Mercurio continues physical therapy to improve his balance and is making progress, his mother said.

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Vinny’s younger brother, Tony, will be among those participating in the Firestone Junior Cup, a team event on the West Course on July 6, ahead of the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship July 7-10 at Firestone Country Club.

“He’s playing through the MetroParks, the Junior League team with coach Erin,” Betty Mercurio said of Tony. “He got the interest from Vinny and loves it now.”

Craig said Vinny comes to watch Tony compete.

“He’s still part of The Turn family,” Craig said of Vinny.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Ohio teen stroke survivor turns from golf to baseball, football