The Virginian-Pilot has the moving story of a stricken five-year-old boy’s wish not yet being granted:
It was the one thing 5-year-old Kaden Abshire really wanted to do Friday before watching his Baltimore Orioles take on the New York Yankees. The boy with a genetic disorder wished to meet Orioles first baseman Chris Davis.
It didn’t happen.
Major League Baseball announced that morning the 28-year-old slugger was suspended for 25 games because he’d tested positive for amphetamines. He couldn’t play Friday, and more important, he couldn’t meet Kaden.
“He took it fine,” Princess Hepner said of her grandson. She said he got to meet left fielder Nelson Cruz instead and got to take home a bat signed by Cruz and a ball and picture that Davis signed.
“Kaden knew who Nelson Cruz was before we did,” Hepner said with a laugh. “He’s happy.”
Kaden was born with Holt-Oram syndrome, a little-known disorder characterized by skeletal abnormalities of the hands and arms and sometimes heart problems. Hepner said he may need a heart-and-lung transplant in the future. . . .
The Make-A-Wish Foundation – a nonprofit that organizes memorable experiences for children with life-threatening medical conditions – presented Kaden with six tickets earlier this week for today’s game. The organization also arranged for Kaden to meet Davis.
Kaden’s mother, Rachel Abshire, was killed last year by a friend of his father in a murder-for-hire. Both men have since pleaded guilty and received lengthy prison sentences. …
But how did Kaden take the news his favorite player was suspended? Well, no one’s told him.
“They just told him Davis was at the doctor and couldn’t come,” Hepner said. “He doesn’t know.”
More here.