A strange sight showed up in the backyard of the Wersal family's home in Aledo.
A big ball in colors like Earth with yellow sticks and green pom poms hung from a tree. What was it? A COVID-19 piñata, of course!
Jennifer Wersal said family friends showed up with the piñata to help celebrate her son's 18th birthday.
With coronavirus limiting gatherings and social connections, Carson's best friend, Joe Rousseu, was ready with a surprise tailored to the moment.
"After it fell off of the tree line, the boys figured out exactly what to do with it," Jennifer Wersal said.
With Carson a baseball player at Aledo High School and Joe a powerlifter, the teenagers decided it was time to batter up. Joe pitched and Carson, who normally pitches for the high school team, took one swing at the incoming piñata and cracked it open.
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Apparently, people like the idea of using a piñata for some stress release and a few laughs.
ABC Party in Oak Cliff - known for the colorful piñatas it makes to celebrate special occasions - has added the coronavirus piñata to its line up.
"We can dress it up for different occasions, like our kids that didn't get to have a graduation. We're gonna put a cap and maybe a gown on it, so they can hit it and get their frustration out for messing up their school year," said business owner Carlos de La Fuente.
De La Fuente closed his family business a month ago but reopened with the retail-to-go opportunity last Friday.
He said his piñata maker used the time off to channel his creativity into the new coronavirus piñata.
De La Fuente fully understands the seriousness of the pandemic but also believes the virus-themed piñata can help people "beat" the virus, at least figuratively.
It's just another example of making the best of things in this pandemic.
