Watch teen baseball fan's dream come true on the mound of his favorite MLB team
Standing on the mound with the biggest smile a 15-year-old can muster, Gabriel De La Cruz delivered a strike to Oakland Athletics right-handed pitcher Paul Blackburn to complete the ceremonial first pitch on opening day for the MLB’s new season. In his young mind, the day couldn’t get any better, but it wasn't over yet.
In partnership with Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area, the Oakland Athletics, and Major League Baseball, Gabriel was the guest of honor at the Coliseum on Thursday, March 30, 2023, after a two-year battle with ALL B-Cell Leukemia.
“It put my life on pause,” said Gabriel, “ I stopped doing everything. It, yeah, it was kind of a rough time”
This special wish day included watching batting practice from the field of his favorite team, the Oakland Athletics, along with becoming starstruck as he met a few of his baseball heroes, including Mike Trout from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the A's opening day opponent.
However, before heading to his seat for the game, Gabriel was directed to the big screen in left field to learn that his ultimate dream would be coming true. In a video message featuring his favorite player, Tony Kemp, as well as stars Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, and Seth Brown, Gabriel learned that he will be attending the 2023 MLB All-Star Game in Seattle.
As a special VIP guest of MLB, De La Cruz will get to attend all events at T-Mobile Park, including an invite to a luxury suite for All-Star Saturday (SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game and the Celebrity Softball Game), the T-Mobile Home Run Derby, and the MLB All-Star Game.
“I've always watched it from my house and to be there is going to be really cool,” Gabriel said with a smile
A well-deserved gift for the teenager whose Leukemia diagnosis prevented him from playing baseball, a game he has loved since the age of 4 when he joined his first little league team. In April of 2022, he was able to get his chemo port removed and is expected to fully complete his cancer treatment this July.
Even with treatment still going on, he was able to return to the diamond and is currently a passionate member of his high school varsity baseball team as a freshman
“I just love how competitive it is," said Gabriel. "Even though it's like so hard, it always drives me [to] keep going and try to get better day in and day out...It just makes me feel strong and all my teammates and coaches always tell me that I beat the battle of life so I'm always a winner.”
And Gabriel has huge aspirations, as his dream is to make it to the Major Leagues, hopefully with the A's, by the year 2030.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB team gives a courageous teen an All-Star baseball treat
