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Man Whose Daughter Was Born With No Hand Hosts Charity Golf Tournament

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Every day parents find out their newborn has a previously undiagnosed birth defect.

Mike Schuh reports that one family is so grateful to the organization that helped them with adapting to their daughter's differences that they are giving back.

Golfers try to get the most out of their swings at Mount Pleasant Golf Course in Northeast Baltimore.

Meanwhile, members of the Patrick family watch.

At 11, Kyleigh is in gifted classes, plays lacrosse and the euphonium, a brass instrument.

Her talents are even more remarkable because she was born with only one hand. Right from the start, she would try anything and everything. As a baby, she played the guitar.

But her pathway through life has been harder.

"Sometimes, it still hurts to see people's reaction to her," said Debbie Ray, Kyleigh's mom.

When Kyleigh was 2 years old, International Child Amputee Network showed her how to be strong. It let her know she wasn't alone.

"Then when I started, I felt better to know that other people are like this," said Kyleigh.

"You hardly ever hear about children like Kyleigh," said her father, John Patrick.

With no experience, John is hosting a golf tournament this Saturday. So far, it's raised more than $2,000.

The sponsor list is handwritten. John shows a genuine desire to say thanks to the group which helped his child.

"Just two years ago, she said to me, 'Daddy, just for one day I'd like to know what it would be like to have two hands just like everybody else,'" said John Patrick.

There's no professional staff helping him. He's not a rich guy calling in favors but rather an electrician in a slow economy.

"Unfortunately, I'm unemployed, but fortunately, for this golf tournament, I'm employed," said John Patrick.

For more information, contact John Patrick at patray99@verizon.net.

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