Sky Sox VP continues healing process

Anniversaries usually are cause for celebration, but that's not the case for Rai Henniger today.

It was a year ago that Henniger, a senior vice-president of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox and the team's on-field announcer, was injured in a fireworks explosion.

Henniger and wife Heather will spend the day with their three children - Grace, 10, Emma, 7, and Benjamin, 6.

"We'll review everything and commit to a joyful, healing year," Henniger said.

The past 12 months have included multiple surgeries - about a dozen, Henniger said, with another scheduled Tuesday - initially to save his life, then for reconstructive purposes.

He lost an eye, still suffers from fatigue and short-term memory problems, and is 20 pounds lighter. But that familiar upbeat personality remains. Henniger estimates his mental capacity is "90 percent back."

"My first nurse said, ‘You can get bitter or you can get better,'" Henniger said. "My wife actually thinks I haven't dealt with it yet. She says I've been Dale Carnegie the last year and the glass is always half-full.

"But I still want to be Rai. I want to be up. I want to be on. But that takes a lot of energy and I feel it the next day."

The family continues to receive counseling, but there is optimism.

On Thursday, Henniger attended his second game this season at Security Service Field and visited the scene of the accident behind the fence in left-center field. He has no memory of the explosion.

"I needed to face it," he said. "I was emotionally affected and had to leave. The Lord has a way of not letting me remember anything so disturbing that it would haunt me. The ugly stuff has been erased from my hard drive, and I didn't want it to come back."

Henniger has no timetable on a possible return to the Sky Sox, but it's not like he hasn't asked.

"Doctors have told me to shut up and heal," he said.

He recently had a new nose made from one of his ribs.

Saturday, which was "Fort Carson Appreciation Day," was an emotional day for Henniger and the man - Sky Sox head grounds-keeper Steve DeLeon - who helped save his life.

DeLeon was the first to reach Henniger, followed by Sgt. Christopher Smith and Sgt. Michael Cordosi, who were at the stadium early for "Fort Carson Appreciation Day."

"I knew it was bad," said DeLeon, who was a teacher for 25 years. "For about three months after that, I'd wake up thinking about it."

Today will be a time for reflection for Henniger and DeLeon. Tuesday will provide another chance for Henniger to look to the future.