CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — Hitting a home run is magical - a feeling the Calallen Lady Cats know all too well - but it's their celebration at home plate that shines a light on the meaning of life.
"Hitting a home run is one person, but knowing your team is there for you," Calallen senior right fielder Rilyn Gamez said. "We all come together because we're a team. We have to care for each other because if we don't it's not going to work out how we want."
"We start jogging to home plate," Calallen senior third baseman Alaunah Almaraz said. "Well once I get there I twirl and the whole teams twirls after and it's just really special."
A simple twirl was inspired by 5-year-old Eva Elena Perez. She loved sports, supporting Santa Gertrudis Academy and Calallen softball from afar when they played in the state tournament last spring.
"How do you think that the Lady Lions and Lady Cats should play," Alyssa Lozano, Eva's mother, asked her daughter.
"Tough like me," Eva said.
Eva has family ties to Calallen. Although she never made it to a game while battling leukemia, the Lady Cats made sure to honor her by winning Corpus Christi's first softball state championship.
"We won this for you Eva," Calallen's softball team said. "Keep fighting. We love you Eva!"
Her fight continued until October 19. Eva's weakened immune system and a side-effect of the chemotherapy caused a fungus in the lung.
"She was cancer free," Lozano said. "She just needed to finish treatment."
But Eva suddenly passed away.
"They brought her back, but then her heart stopped again," Lozano said. "It was like not supposed to happen. I don't know. Her time."
Eva passed away on the same night Calallen received their state championship rings. A joyous occasion turned into a moment of silence.
"I couldn't believe that it happened because she was a little girl and she was fighting for her life," Calallen sophomore and first baseman Audryna Almaraz said.
"Knowing that someone we were caring for and we knew she was supporting us," Gamez said. "We have to do something back for her."
Honoring her after every home run with a Twirl Like Eva.
Anyone that has met Eva describes her as a girly girl. She loved high heels, and when she learned how to twirl, it was one of her favorite things.
"It doesn't mean that you have to know somebody to make somebody's day, and I'll tell you not very many things make me happy when I think about Eva because you know it's sad," Lozano said. "I miss my daughter, but I saw that video of the home runs and and twirl and it like so proud. It made me feel like my kid would be proud. I really appreciate y'all keeping my baby in your hearts and twirling for her on those bases and it's a beautiful testament of who she was."
"Doing it for someone that could have played, and just doing it for someone that is up there and just looking down on us," Alaunah Almaraz said. "She was rooting for us and we're just glad to give back to her and her family."
Even after her death, Eva's light is one that shines across Texas. Santa Gertrudis Academy dedicated their season to Eva, Kenedy made t-shirts, Banquette wore bracelets, Miller track ran for her and even in Houston girls "Twirl Like Eva."
"Whenever y'all hit home runs twirl and send me the video so we can share it," Audryna Almaraz said. "Just to make people happy. Don't take life for granted and make sure you know your why of why you're playing."
Eva's memory will never be forgotten, and it starts with her birthday May 25. Life and Light toy and supply drive for hospital and clinic kids battling cancer.
Eva’s mother is going to be doing two things to celebrate her birthday:
Life & Light Toy and Supply Drive for her hospital and Clinic.
* Click here for the LinkTree that contains a link to an Amazon wish list and Eva's mom's Cash App. You can buy a toy or activity for the kids in the hospital.
* They will be wrapping the toys and giving a gift to all the kids on Eva's floor fighting cancer. The cash donations will be used to buy more toys and supplies for families at the clinic.
* Eva's mom will also buy some individual cakes for the kids on her floor to enjoy on her birthday.
* If you donate on the Cash App please add to the note: GIFT FOR EVA TOY DRIVE
Blood drives will be hosted again in her honor on May 25.
* There will be a blood drive in Banquete, Uvalde, Kenedy and Laredo. Eva received many plasma and blood transfusions and received many as they tried to save her life.
