Sports have shaped my life from the beginning, and baseball has always been the place where I felt most at home. It taught me discipline, patience, and how much I should enjoy being in the moment. I plan to use these lessons and have them drive me to reach my end goal: become an orthopedic surgeon with a focus on sports medicine. I want to help athletes return to the activities that define them, just as many doctors have helped me through my own injuries. Amid the start of the most important two seasons of my baseball career I was hit with my first injury, a broken wrist. I was lucky enough to be able to keep training off the field, but was sadly not able to take part in on-field activities. Going through rehab and build-up was rough, but truly gave me a perspective on not taking for granted being on that field. Yet, my senior year brought the most serious setback, one that cut my chances of being recruited in half. I had partially tore my ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) and was going to be out of throwing for a long time. For someone who had dedicated his entire life to the sport, it felt like watching a dream slip away. I had always pictured myself playing in college, and suddenly that future felt uncertain. Even though the situation was painful, it forced me to grow. I learned to focus on what I could control. I committed to my rehab, stayed involved with my team, and kept working even when I could not play. During that time off I had, I tried to look at it as an opportunity to develop myself, not only physically, but also as a person. An upside I gained from that, an opportunity to lean into service, which had always grounded me and reminded me of the bigger picture. One of the most meaningful experiences I have had came from volunteering with Miracle League, an organization that gives kids with special needs the chance to play baseball. That is where I met James. At first, he was quiet and unsure of himself. I introduced myself, told him I played baseball too, and said I was there to make sure he had fun. Slowly, he began to open up. We practiced throwing and fielding, and he asked me how to throw harder. Week by week, I watched his confidence grow. The moment that changed me came when I saw him teaching another player the same steps I had taught him. He said, “Get it, step, step, and throw,” with a huge smile on his face. On the last day, his mom told me he had talked about me all week and wanted to “hit like Bryson.” That simple comment showed me what service truly means. It is not about being in charge. It is about showing up, listening, and giving someone the support they need to believe in themselves. This experience helped me understand the kind of person I want to be. Dr. John Gomez was known for his strong work ethic, his generosity, and his willingness to go above and beyond for others. Those are qualities I hope to carry into my own career. I want to help people through their hardest moments and give them the chance to return to what they love. James’s smile stays with me. It reminds me that service has the power to change lives, including my own. It is the reason I want to spend my life helping others heal and move forward.