Guelph teen gets day with Blue Jays' Kevin Pillar

Ashley Perry of Guelph is like many other teen girls - she loves playing piano, making art and doing karate.

She also loves baseball – both playing it and watching it.

But in 2015, the 14-year-old was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder called Takayasu arteritis and her life changed.

But she had her spirits lifted in May when she got to spend the day with Toronto Blue Jays player, centre-fielder Kevin Pillar.

"He is my favourite player. It's been like that since last year since he made that amazing catch over the wall and I just wanted to meet him," Perry said. "He was so nice."

Playing catch with Pillar

It was a three day adventure to Toronto organized by Make a Wish Southwestern Ontario – Perry and her family stayed in a hotel room at Rogers Centre that overlooked the diamond. When they arrived, there was a game on, so they watched that. The next day she visited the aquarium and the CN Tower.

On the third day, she met Pillar. She gave him a picture she drew and the two chatted while playing catch. She stood in centre field as Pillar threw her pop flies.

"It was really cool, and especially when he told me, 'Go stand out in my spot,' so, I really appreciated that," she said.

"It was all a blur, I was so nervous," she said.

Before she left, Pillar signed a bat for Perry and she says the message touched her.

"He wrote that he was my biggest fan and stuff like that and it was really cool," Perry said.

Pillar involved in community

It may not be a surprise Pillar took time out of training and game prep to spend a few hours with Perry. The 27-year-old was the Blue Jays' pick to be nominated for the Roberto Clemente Award, which recognizes a player who "represents the game through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field."

Through his work with the Jays Care Foundation and Toronto's Winter Tour, Pillar has been involved with educational and health and wellness initiatives in Toronto, and has stopped in children's hospitals across the country to visit young patients.

"I'm fortunate to play for a team that plays for an entire country, and I'm proud to be in a position to bring a smile to so many faces that cheer us on each and every day," Pillar said in a release about the nomination.

'They're going to go all the way'

The Jays are facing Cleveland in the American League Championship Series. The Jays are down two games, but are hoping for a win Monday night in Game Three, which will be before a hometown crowd at Rogers Centre.

Perry said she's not discouraged by the fact the Jays lost the first two games.

"I hope they do better tonight because they're playing at home," she said, predicting the team will win the three games after that.

"They're going to go all the way."