MIDLOTHIAN, Va. -- The wish of a Virginia boy with leukemia was recently granted when he and his family traveled to California to see the boy's favorite baseball team.
At just 3 years old, Owen Frantz is already practicing his pitch for the big leagues. That is something his mom, Becca, says he never seems to tire of.
"Yeah and he'll just go,” Becca Frantz said. “He'll play for a long time."
It is hard to believe that just a year ago, Owen was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The disease is a cancer that attacks the bone marrow.
“It’s just a really hard season. I mean we're at the hospital more than anyone wants to have to take their child to the hospital," Becca Frantz said.
But between chemotherapy and other treatments both in the hospital and at home, Owen kept his sweet smile and a passion for playing.
“I like watching baseball and my husband likes watching baseball, so he's started watching baseball with us,” Becca Frantz explained. “And now if it's on or even if it's not on, he wants to get out his glove and his ball and his bat and play."
When Owen heard he was eligible for a wish from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, it did not didn't take the Frantz family long to decide. Owen wanted to go to San Diego to see his favorite baseball team.
"He's super excited,” Becca Frantz said. “He asked me the other day if all the players were going to be so excited to meet him, so we're really excited to go."
Owen and his family recently traveled to California to meet the San Diego Padres where the 3-year-old was a star.
Tatis helped make a few wishes come true today 🥹
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) May 17, 2023
Thank you for spending your @wishsandiego day with us, Fritz & Owen! pic.twitter.com/KpN8dhsTe0
And back in Virginia Owen joined CBS 6 anchor Tracy Sears for a commercial to help celebrate Make-A-Wish Greater Virginia's 10th annual Walk for Wishes.
The fundraiser recognizes the more than 500,000 wishes that have already been granted nationwide while raising funds for future wishes.
So more dreams can come true giving children like Owen something wonderful to look forward to.
"It's just a lot of gratitude, nobody is ever required to give money to support families they don't know,” Becca Frantz explained. “So the fact that people are willing to do that without necessarily having that personal connection is really meaningful and we're certainly grateful to be beneficiaries of it.”
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CBS 6 shares voices from Walk for Wishes
Money raised from this year's Walk for Wishes event is enough to grant 29 wishes. But organizers were hoping to fund their goal of 35 wishes. Click here to make a donation.
