SLAUGHTER - A little boy's dream to have his very own backyard baseball field has come true thanks to the efforts of Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana.

Jesse, a 7-year-old battling congenital heart disease, loves baseball and is excited to share his field with his local teammates.

During the opening-day ceremony on Thursday, neighbors and friends of Jesse and his family braved the rain to watch the first pitch at the field.

Jesse threw his first pitch to his dad, Tim.

"This is fun!" Jesse said.

"What did you tell me earlier? This was better than a birthday party?" Tim said.

"Yeah!" Jesse said. "Way better!"

Along with the Make-A-Wish team and volunteers, representatives from build groups, LSU catcher Alex Milazzo was at the celebration.
Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana said this is the first time a child has wished for a baseball field with their group.

"I think the family has been completely blown away. When Jesse wished to have a baseball field, it was not just for him It was so he could play with his friends in Slaughter, Louisiana. When I look at the family's faces, the joy, the fear the anxiety. All the things you face as a parent with a sick child… it just melts away," Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana President and CEO Shelly Millwee said.