College baseball player makes historic debut with prosthetic leg: 'My dream was to get back on the field'

A college baseball player received a standing ovation for his Division I debut after undergoing a leg amputation. 

East Carolina University's Parker Byrd joined "America's Newsroom" Wednesday to share how he's continued to work hard on and off the field and refused to give up on his dreams. 

"Just getting back in that box was really key to everybody, just to prove to people that I'm still here," he told hosts Dana Perino and Bill Hemmer. 

EAST CAROLINA SOPHOMORE BECOMES FIRST COLLEGE BASEBALL PLAYER TO COMPETE WITH PROSTHETIC LEG

The sophomore became the first person to play in a D-1 baseball game with a prosthetic leg. 

Byrd expressed his gratitude to his physical therapists, coaches, teammates and family for being there for him during the long recovery after a boat accident resulted in him losing a part of his right leg.

Byrd said his parents and sisters were there for him at the hospital each day of his recovery and his sisters moved to be closer to him because they knew his dream was to get back on the field. 

"Just very thankful and blessed to have them in my life and to get to call them family," said the native of Laurinburg, N.C. 

Byrd's coach called his return to the diamond the proudest moment of his life. 

"He's had a great career, so being the proudest moment of his life is really cool," he said.

East Carolina head coach Cliff Godwin during a game between the Houston Cougars and the East Carolina Pirates at Lewis Field at Clark LeClair Stadium in Greenville, NC on April 29, 2018. Houston defeated ECU 6-5. (Greg Thompson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Byrd said he hopes to get a hit next time up after drawing a walk against Rider University in the eighth inning of the team's season-opening victory Friday. 

"I'm looking forward to it, and I'll be ready."

Byrd was a highly recruited prospect and graduated from a North Carolina high school in 2022. But a summer boat trip just before he was set to arrive at the campus as a freshman ended in tragedy. 

Byrd fell off a tube during the trip. He then attempted to approach the boat, but the ski rope got caught inside the propeller and struck Byrd's leg, according to multiple reports.

East Carolina sophomore Parker Byrd appeared in Friday’s season-opening win against Rider with a prosthetic leg after having part of his right leg amputated following a 2022 boating accident. (Fox News)

As a result, his right leg had to be amputated. According to ESPN, Byrd underwent 22 surgeries in 45 days following the accident.

Earlier this week, Byrd reflected on his path to return to the baseball diamond.

"There's definitely a lot of steps, and it was a long journey, but with the coaches we have here, they've invested a lot of time," Byrd told reporters on Thursday. "A lot of moments preparing for the season, and I think I'm ready. I can't wait."

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Fox News' Chantz Martin contributed to this report.

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