Mirror photos by Patrick Waksmunski / Taylor Mowry, 14, greets her special Claysburg-Kimmel High School homecoming guest, Altoona Curve player Stephen Alemais, in front of Peoples Natural Gas field on Friday afternoon.

The annual homecoming dance at Claysburg-Kimmel High School is a highlight of the school year for many students, but Friday’s festivities were extra special for high school freshman Taylor Mowry and her special guest Altoona Curve baseball player Stephen Alemais.

The couple stopped at Peoples Natural Gas Field before the dance to have photographs taken at home plate — the grass decorated with “Homecoming 2019.” Taylor has a rare condition that causes her to be in excruciating pain constantly, but her smile never left her face.

“I’m beyond excited,” she said, taking a rest in a golf cart after standing for photos. Her black evening gown accented with red matched Alemais’s black and red tuxedo.

A beaming Alemais said he was “excited to be here and also nervous because I don’t know what to expect,” explaining he didn’t attend homecoming or prom during high school at a private school. “I can play before thousands of people, but this is making me nervous. This has been very special for me getting dressed up. She looks gorgeous and I want it to be a very special and happy experience for her.”

Alemais spent the last two weeks in New York visiting family. He spent much of the season in Bradenton, Florida, after he suffered a shoulder injury and had surgery.

“(Taylor) would text me throughout the summer and ask how I was doing even though she fights pain every day,” he said. “She motivated me to work even harder.”

Bad weather in Pittsburgh on Thursday caused his New York flight to be delayed so he missed the connecting flight from Pittsburgh to Martinsburg.

Derek Martin, Curve general manager, said Curve team members and staff are inspired by Taylor’s positive attitude in the face of amplified musculoskeletal pain syndrome.

“We wanted to make it extra special for Taylor and really the entire community has come together, he said, noting several businesses donated services. She is such a great fan and has been such a blessing to us. She is the most inspirational person. She goes ahead with her life and pushes through the pain.”

Taylor, her younger brother, Tyler, 11, and parents, Travis and Laura Mowry of Claysburg, have been “adopted” by the entire Altoona Curve family, Mowry said. Taylor sang “God Bless America” at a Curve game earlier this year.

“Immense” is how Taylor describes the pain inflicted by AMPS, especially when walking and other physical activity. “Pain medications don’t even begin to touch the pain,” Taylor said. “I push through the pain and try to stay positive.”

Taylor has given up many activities she enjoyed, such as band. She uses a wheelchair as walking is difficult and painful. She also receives nutrition through a feeding tube — both in an effort to avoid aggravating her pain.

The pain and these issues necessitated she enroll in an online school curriculum and forego many activities.

Her severe pain started nearly seven years ago, her mother said, and wasn’t diagnosed until two years ago as it is diagnosed by excluding other conditions.

AMPS, according to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia website, is “an abnormal short circuit in the spinal cord. The normal pain signal not only travels up to the brain, but also goes to the neurovascular nerves (also known as autonomic or ‘flight or fight’ nerves) that control blood flow through the blood vessels.”

The constriction restricts blood flow and oxygen to the muscles and bones and increases production of waste products such as lactic acid.

In turn, the buildup creates a new pain signal, which travels across the abnormal short circuit in the spinal cord and causes a further decrease in blood flow leading to more pain in a continuous cycle.

Most children recover after extensive physical therapy, aerobic exercise, desensitization therapies, individualized instruction in coping strategies and stress management, but the longer it goes untreated, the less positive the prognosis for a full recover.

“There’s a chance she could have this horrible pain to some extent for the rest of her life,” Laura Mowry said.

Taylor said she draws inspiration from the players and enjoys the opportunity to engage in her passion — sports photography. Taylor remains in touch with one former Curve player — shortstop Cole Tucker, who was with the team for two years before moving on to Triple-A Indianapolis. The family remains in touch with Tucker and took a road trip to see him play in Ohio earlier in the summer.

In tribute, one finger of her manicure had his number 3, and one on the other hand had Alemais’s number.

“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time something like this has happened at Claysburg-Kimmel,” said Principal Stephen Puskar. “There is definitely some excitement among the student body. … Taylor is a great kid, and we as a district and a school are excited for her. We are certain that she will create lasting memories. … Having a member of the Curve family joining the Claysburg-Kimmel family is definitely something unique and special.”

Mirror Staff Writer Patt Keith is at 949-7030.