Calgary Flames assistant GM Chris Snow throws out first pitch at Fenway Park

Talk about celebrating your birthday in style, and especially doing so after having been originally told this was a day that wouldn't happen. 

Calgary Flames assistant general manager Chris Snow commemorated his 40th birthday by tossing the ceremonial 1st pitch with his family at historic Fenway Park, home of Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox. 

Snow, who hails from the Boston area and originally served as a Red Sox beat reporter for the Boston Globe, was diagnosed with ALS and was given the grim news that the illness would ultimately claim his life inside of a year. 

Per Snow, turning 40 years of age was a "birthday (he) wasn't supposed to see". 

Snow is already unfortunately familiar with the aggressive form of Lou Gehrig’s disease. The illness has already affected him personally, as he's lost his dad, his cousin and two uncles to ALS.

Prior to his big moment, he was doing his research. He also had to learn to throw with his left arm after having already lost most of his ability to use his right hand. 

“Most first pitches are fails,” he said. “So I’m really hoping that doesn’t happen to me....This is truly once-in-a-lifetime. It will be a day like no other.”

Thanks to the use of an experimental drug, Snow continues to play a significant role in the Flames organization. This October will mark the start of his  15th season working in the NHL and 11th with the Flames. 

And you can bet that he was ready to go at Fenway. 

“I’ve kind of put myself in that position over the last few days, just thinking about take those few deep breaths and really breathe that in,” Chris said. “Because I’m sure the nerves and the adrenaline and the excitement will be in overdrive.

“I’ve thought a lot about this and I’m thinking the gold standard is George Bush at Yankee Stadium with the bulletproof vest on after September 11^th, and the floor is Dr. Fauci last year at Nationals Park, when he kind of threw it toward first base and it hopped a few times. I’m thinking the mid-point of those two is good.”

“I have no doubt that I can do this. The issue is, they call it a ‘first pitch.’ Not a first and second pitch, just a first pitch.”