A 15-year-old girl battling cancer experienced quite a memorable moment on Friday when she was surprised by her idol, Chicago Cubs’ Javier “Javy” Báez.
Brianna Barker is in need of a bone marrow transplant. She had been in remission after being diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at four years old, and then, in May, the cancer came back as Lymphocytic Leukemia.
Advocate Children’s Hospital teamed up with the Cubs and Baez on Friday to put a smile on Barker’s face.
The teen was stunned and speechless until Baez walked out of the dugout and joined her on the field.
Before Baez left, Barker made sure to take a selfie with her favorite Cub.
“That’s going to be printed all over my wall,” she said.
Barker is such a big fan of Baez that her family has a tradition anytime he plays.
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“It’s kind of funny, because she gets tired of watching all the games, but we have to call her in from her bedroom to let her know when he’s up,” said Brianna Barker's mother, Tammy Barker. “So, she can at least watch that portion of every game.”
When asked about why she likes Baez, Barker gave an answer that some may expect of a 15-year-old girl.
“I just think he’s hot,” she said.
