Helping people heal, one catch at a time

How Play Catch with a Dad™️ started

From the desk of John Piermatteo

  In 2019 I wanted to show up at the York, PA Unity Fest hoping to do something special and unique.  There were plenty of free “mom hugs”, and free “grandmother hugs” (among others) already.  I had the thought that there must be people in the world whose fathers stopped doing things with them when they came out.  That was the birth of “Play Catch With A Dad”.  I painted a simple sign and found a space to lean the sign against a tree while I sat with a football in my hands.  I had no idea how the concept might be received. It took several trips past my sign before anyone engaged.  I watched people go by looking at the sign out of the side of their eye, then, on the next pass, they might make eye contact with me.  Finally, I would see them walking with purpose directly at me.  “Can I play catch with you?”  We would toss the ball a few times then I’d give them a hug.  During which many released a flood of emotions.  I lost count of the number of times we both cried.  It was powerful.