Kazuhiro Kiyohara takes a break from his busy schedule to play catch with his dog, Tsunekichi, at a park.

He takes time off from work to go to his ex-wife Aki’s
commuting to his ex-wife Aki’s apartment every day during his work hours. ……
It’s his family that keeps him going!

One evening in September, a huge figure quietly appeared at a dog run in Tokyo. The large man, dressed in a sleeveless shirt and shorts that defied the chilly weather, was former professional baseball player Kazuhiro Kiyohara (55), who was walking with his dog on a leash.

He entered the park with a familiar look on his face, then plopped down on the bench farthest from the entrance and began to play catch with his dog, Tsuneyoshi. Whenever Kiyohara threw a tennis ball, Tsuneyoshi would dash after it. He and Tsuneyoshi worked up a sweat together for 30 minutes, changing the distance he threw the ball and looking grim from start to finish. During the session, a woman talked to Kiyohara. It seems that the time spent with his beloved dog has become an opportunity for communication.

Kiyohara moved to a new house last May and started keeping a Border Collie named Tsuneyoshi in June. A little more than a year after his new life, the number of subscribers to his YouTube channel, the center of his activities, has surpassed 500,000. In addition, this year, he has begun full-fledged activities as a “baseball player.

In July, he made a surprise appearance at the spring training camp of Chunichi and took the mound for the first time in 11 years to throw out the first pitch. He is also doing well as a commentator, sharing his knowledge and experience by commentating on league games and interleague games.

In early September, FRIDAY spotted Kiyohara visiting his ex-wife Aki’s (53) apartment. Perhaps they celebrated their eldest son’s birthday at a family reunion. He entered the apartment around 6 p.m. and spent the evening meal there.

My eldest son, a member of the Keio University baseball team, played in all of the six university baseball rookie games as the No. 4 pitcher. His second son, who entered Keio High School last April, wore the number 5 uniform that Mr. Kiyohara also carried, and hit a grand slam home run in his second game in his debut this September. Mr. Kiyohara himself has told those around him, “My sons are my life force. He has a good relationship with Aki, and they have regular family dinners together.

On the other hand, his treatment for depression and drug addiction is still ongoing. Although his health condition is said to be stable at the moment, he was not feeling well from March to April of this year and had to increase the number of visits to the hospital. The support of his family has been a positive factor in his battle with addiction. Journalist Jyunsei Kubota, an expert on drug addiction, says, “For addicts, the most important thing is to have a family member who is there for them.

The worst thing for an addict is loneliness. The weaker the connection with society, the more likely they are to relapse. The weaker the bond with society, the higher the risk of relapsing into stimulants. Generally speaking, it takes more than three times as long to become clean and sober as it takes to become clean and sober. It is a long road, which is why family is so important.

Kiyohara continues to work hard every day, both at work and in treatment. With the support of his family as his strength, he will not stop until the day he makes a full recovery.

From the October 14, 2022 issue of FRIDAY