Tom Brady and David Ortiz fulfill two young fans’ Make-A-Wish dreams at Fanatics Fest NYC
Tom Brady and David Ortiz kicked off Fanatics Fest by meeting two of their biggest fans.
The retired athletes partnered with Make-A-Wish and Fanatics, the official sports partner of the non-profit, to grant the wishes of 12-year-old Chris Sanchez and 10-year-old Chris Hohn on Friday.
Hohn, who grew up in Boston, told Page Six that his love for the former Red Sox slugger was passed down from his dad.
“I love David Ortiz because he is very inspirational while simultaneously being like one of the best baseball players in the world,” Hohn, who has a genetic condition, told us.
The Boston-born baseball fan noted that he loves Ortiz’s big “personality” and how he showed up for the community following the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.
Hohn got to spend some one-on-one time with his idol and even presented the retired athlete with “a beautiful plaque with [his] number” on it, Ortiz told us.
Ortiz told us it was “great” to have the opportunity to meet Hohn, who wasn’t even alive for most of his career.
“When you see kids this age that know a lot about what you have done, that means they have kept track of everything,” the MLB legend said. “And I don’t expect people to see me as a role model, but we know that there are kids like that watching us.”
Brady, for his part, met with 12-year-old Christopher Sanchez, an aspiring quarterback from Florida who was first diagnosed with leukemia when he was 6 years old.
After chatting for a bit, the pair played a little catch and Brady even offered the young athlete a few tips on his throwing form.
The former New England Patriots star, who has worked with Make-A-Wish for years, explained to Fox Digital why these events are so important to him.
“The kids are going through a lot, and I think it just helps everyone keep lots of things in perspective,” he told the outlet. “Just seeing the joy on the kid’s face and the parents’ faces — sometimes they’ve been dealt some tough cards, but it’s great to see their joy and happiness. Especially on a cool day of bringing everyone here.”
Brady, who has three kids of his own, noted that “everything hits you different as a parent.”
“You understand the impact you can have speaking to kids,” he said.
Prior to meeting their idols, both boys were also given a $250 gift card to shop the official fan store, which featured apparel from every major sports league and custom merch for the weekend-long event.
Other stars in attendance included Travis Scott, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Alix Earle, Tiffany Haddish, Jalen Brunson, Derek Jeter, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Quavo, Carmelo Anthony, La La Anthony and more.
