ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - It's stories like this that remind us why the St. Louis Cardinals are such a treasured part of this town. Former outfielder Matt Holliday joined St. Louis Talks on Tuesday to help drum up support for SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital’s Tree of Hope year-end campaign.
KMOX is proud to partner once again with generous community supporters like Holliday – and you – to raise funds. He also shared an incredible story from his playing days that shows the strong connection he has with Cardinal Glennon.
He often participated in the players' visits to patients at the hospital just outside of downtown St. Louis. He says although he never "promised" to hit a home run for child, he did just about the next best thing.
"One time I did have a kid request (a home run) and I wasn't able to promise it because, as you guys know, Major League Baseball is difficult. But I did hit one that night and I was able to get the ball and take it to the young man that had asked me to hit him a home run," Holliday explained.
As if written in a Hollywood script, the seven-time All-Star not only fulfilled a boy's wish, but then went to the hospital after the game to deliver it. He says it was around 11:30 p.m. when he got there and the boy was asleep. But his mom was awake.
"I think I caught her off guard a little bit when I knocked on the door," Holliday says. "It was pretty neat."
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Holliday didn't say exactly when it happened, but it's probably safe to say, of the 156 home runs he hit as a member of the Cardinals, few, if any, were more important.
"I couldn't wait. I couldn't wait to take (the ball) to him," Holliday says. "That was cool. I felt like that was God allowing me to hit a home run for this young man."
Through philanthropic donations from supporters like you, Cardinal Glennon can continue to fund programs that are not always covered by insurance, but so necessary to a child’s recovery. They'll invest in program enhancements, facility updates, charity care and much more.
Head to Treeofhope.org/kmox to make your donation today!
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