Eastwood Mall highlights August 16 'Rallying for Robert' celebrity softball game

NILES The Eastwood Mall is highlighting an upcoming celebrity softball game that will be held at Eastwood Field on August 16, 2025 to help support Crohn's & Colitis Foundation.

The "Rallying for Robert" Celebrity Softball Game will feature team managers Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini and Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik facing off to support the foundation.

The game begins at 4:30 p.m. on August 16 at the Eastwood Field, located at 111 Eastwood Mall Boulevard in Niles.

The celebrity softball game is inspired by Robert Lucarell, pictured above on the left.

Luracrell is a Brookfield resident who has been battling Crohn's disease since 2018.

Crohn's disease, according to the Cleveland Clinic, is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that causes your digestive tract to become swollen and irritated.

Lucarell has gone through several hospitalizations and surgeries after being diagnosed.

"In 2021, I was in and out of hospitals and then in August of 2021, my body shut down [and] I was in the ICU for ten days," said Lucarell.

Lucarell went on to get two surgeries after this incident.

Since then, he says he has been living his life and doing what he loves doing.

"I'm living my normal life. I don't think there's a normal life with this - it's the life that you make with it. And my life, I'm making it my dream life," said Lucarell.

The celebrity softball game will also feature a live performance from the band Potentia.

Tickets can be purchased online.

All proceeds from the "Rallying for Robert" game will go towards the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation.

Download the WFMJ app for your Apple or Android smartphone or tablet to get our push alerts as news happens.