On July 22, 1986, the New York Mets delivered a commanding performance at Shea Stadium, defeating the Atlanta Braves by 11 runs in a game marked by standout moments from Gary Carter, Sid Fernandez, and Darryl Strawberry. Among those not playing that night was Mets closer Jesse Orosco, who would soon become part of a poignant story that transcended baseball.

The following afternoon, Steven McDonald, a 29-year-old New York City police officer and recent newlywed, was shot three times in Central Park by a 15-year-old assailant. The attack severed his spinal cord, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. At the time, McDonald’s wife, Patti Ann, was pregnant with their son, Conor, who was born a few months later.

That year, the Mets went on to clinch the World Series against the Boston Red Sox in a dramatic seven-game series. After striking out Marty Barrett for the final out of Game 7, Orosco famously raised his brown Rawlings glove skyward in celebration. Following the victory, Orosco visited McDonald at Bellevue Hospital and presented him with that very glove as a gesture of support and solidarity.

In reflecting on the moment decades later, Orosco noted the significance of the gift. “I was happy to do that. The time was right,” he said, emphasizing that the gesture was about more than just the game. Over the years, the glove became a symbol of hope and resilience amid McDonald’s long recovery.

The connection between Orosco and McDonald resurfaced recently through a documentary titled “Saint of the City.” Reporter Mary Murphy, who was in the stands during the 1986 game, produced the film focused on McDonald’s life and legacy. Murphy sought to include Orosco’s story and the symbolic glove, working with the Mets’ historian Jay Horwitz to facilitate contact with Orosco in San Diego. The documentary is currently in final edits and is expected to reach wider audiences soon.

A private screening took place last month to coincide with the New York Police Department’s decision to name its academy after McDonald, honoring his courage and enduring influence. At this event, Orosco met Conor McDonald for the first time, deepening the personal connection between the family and the former baseball player.

Conor McDonald, who grew up hearing stories of Orosco’s visit, credited the gesture with helping his father endure a prognosis that initially allowed only three years to live. Instead, Steven McDonald survived for more than 30 years. Conor, now a captain in the NYPD and recently promoted to deputy inspector, reflected on the impact of sports and community in his family, as well as the service ethos passed down from his father.

Although Conor will not attend the Mets’ 40th anniversary reunion this weekend due to his son’s second birthday, he honored his father and their shared legacy by naming the child Steven Mychal—a tribute to his father and Mychal Judge, the New York Fire Department chaplain who supported McDonald’s spiritual journey before his death on September 11, 2001.

Despite the tragedy that altered their lives, the McDonald family story remains one of perseverance and inspiration, highlighting how a simple act of kindness from an athlete contributed to a lasting legacy beyond sport.