The following is from the L.A. Times sports columnist T.J. Simers:
JAKE FIELD is 10, and lives in L.A. with his family, including his father, George, a supervisor for the Department of Homeland Security. Jake has been a big-time fan of the A's, and a catcher, just like Oakland's Jason Kendall.
In October, Jake began treatment for brain cancer. When he requested a Kendall jersey, Kendall showed up at the youngster's L.A. home with it.
"It was the first time Jake laughed and smiled since this whole episode began," George said. "Kendall sat with Jake for more than an hour talking baseball and asking for advice on how to throw out runners."
Things haven't gone well for Jake recently, the cancer spreading and eliminating surgical options. The family recently decided to dedicate themselves to Jake's quality of life, and cease further curative care.
When the A's were made aware of this, they immediately reacted and invited Jake to join them for Monday's game in Oakland.
The family arrived Sunday, and "Jason called Jake at the hotel and said we could use his suite for the game and Jake could eat whatever he wanted and not pay," George said. "Jake got real excited about that.
"Jason told him all the players would be waiting for him on the field, and then he told me to cancel our airplane reservations because he was chartering a private jet to take us home.
"It's overwhelming," George said. "You see how people step up to do the right thing, and even go the extra step and for someone they didn't even know. For Jake, it's just a dream come true."
*
T.J. Simers can be reached at
t.j.simers@latimes.com. To read previous columns by Simers, go to latimes.com/simers.
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It's nice to hear about ballplayers that AREN'T jerks, running around being crybabies and oafs. It also should again give us pause to remember the things in life that matter.
JAKE FIELD is 10, and lives in L.A. with his family, including his father, George, a supervisor for the Department of Homeland Security. Jake has been a big-time fan of the A's, and a catcher, just like Oakland's Jason Kendall.
In October, Jake began treatment for brain cancer. When he requested a Kendall jersey, Kendall showed up at the youngster's L.A. home with it.
"It was the first time Jake laughed and smiled since this whole episode began," George said. "Kendall sat with Jake for more than an hour talking baseball and asking for advice on how to throw out runners."
Things haven't gone well for Jake recently, the cancer spreading and eliminating surgical options. The family recently decided to dedicate themselves to Jake's quality of life, and cease further curative care.
When the A's were made aware of this, they immediately reacted and invited Jake to join them for Monday's game in Oakland.
The family arrived Sunday, and "Jason called Jake at the hotel and said we could use his suite for the game and Jake could eat whatever he wanted and not pay," George said. "Jake got real excited about that.
"Jason told him all the players would be waiting for him on the field, and then he told me to cancel our airplane reservations because he was chartering a private jet to take us home.
"It's overwhelming," George said. "You see how people step up to do the right thing, and even go the extra step and for someone they didn't even know. For Jake, it's just a dream come true."
*
T.J. Simers can be reached at
t.j.simers@latimes.com. To read previous columns by Simers, go to latimes.com/simers.
*************************************************************************************
It's nice to hear about ballplayers that AREN'T jerks, running around being crybabies and oafs. It also should again give us pause to remember the things in life that matter.
posted by Archeron at 6:31 PM
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