Striking out ALS: Wife throws first pitch at Husker game in honor of husband’s memory

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Ashley and Scott Johnston met as students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

College sports were always a big part of their life, with Scott’s brother Dan playing for Nebraska baseball.

So it was only fitting that Ashley threw out the first pitch of Friday night’s Husker game in honor of Scott, who died in August.

After graduation, Scott worked in college football for nine years.

He began as a student worker with the Huskers, eventually taking a job with Texas A&M, where he bonded with then-Aggies coaches Rob Childress and Will Bolt.

“He got to know them really well, became really close,” Ashley said. “I just have become such good friends with them. They are wonderful people.”

In 2021, the Johnstons moved back to Lincoln with their two kids, Macy and Jett.

But in April of that year, Scott noticed something was off.

“We were standing in the kitchen, and Scott looked down,” Ashley recounted. “He’s like, ‘Oh, this is weird. I can’t lift my foot.'”

Little did they know, Scott was in the early stages of Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, it’s a disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.

“It just progressively got worse throughout that summer,” Ashley said. “Noticeable weight loss, walking was getting harder, and by the end of the summer, he was having muscle twitching.”

His disease progressed rapidly. Within nine months, Scott couldn’t move his arms or legs.

But Ashley said throughout treatment, Scott never let the disease slow his spirit.

“I remember he was sitting in that char, and Jett was laying on him,” Ashley said. “Scott just looked at me and he said, ‘This is why I did this.'”

As Scott’s condition worsened, he set a goal: Live until July 27, 2023, Macy’s 5th birthday.

“He really wanted to be here for her birthday, which was super special,” Ashley said. “And that was really important to him.”

Scott made it to July, and on Aug. 7, he died.

On Friday, Ashley threw out the first pitch at the Nebraska vs. Indiana baseball game.

She wore a glove she used while playing softball as a kid. She knew it would be the perfect way to honor her late husband.

“Whenever he was cleaning up the garage or we would move, he would be like, ‘Ash, why do you have this glove?” Ashley explained. “I said, you know, someday when we have kids, I’m going to use this glove, and it’s going to be so special.”

After a successful first pitch, the team gave Ashley an official Husker jersey with No. 9 on the back.

“Scott was No. 9 growing up his whole life playing baseball,” she said.

Ashley said having her kids by her side Friday night meant the world.

“To have them here and be a part of that moment was so special because we’re such a team, everything we’ve gone through” she said. “And I know that their daddy was so happy seeing them out there with me, too.”