Within minutes of meeting him, it’s clear how much baseball means to seven-year-old Eli Velasquez, who was born with a heart condition that required multiple surgeries. For his wish, the Texas-native gets to play catch and receive 1-on-1 coaching from his favorite player, Angels superstar Mike Trout.

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20 Comments

  1. He should have met Ohtani too and got his autograph!! That would have been awesome!!

  2. This hit close to home for me because I have a cousin with a similar heart defect like Eli's I forget the name it's really long but my cousin can't do too much strenuous activity just like Eli 😢 this was a real tearjerker for me and even though I'm a Dodgers fan I have to say the Angels are truly living up to their namesake by doing this for Eli❤ god bless Mike trout and the entire Angels organization for this

  3. This is what sports is all about. What a great story! Eli is such an incredible boy and a fighter! God Bless 🙏🏻

  4. This is what makes sports great to me!!!! Make a wish is a great cause!!!! Salute 🫡

  5. Fun fact: When Eli shook hands with Mike Trout, he fractured 4 bones in Trout's hand, requiring Trout to spend the next 3 years on the IL. Eli has now sworn to never use steroids. Thank you, Mike Trout!!

  6. This is such a great series and the stories hit home to me as I had seven brain surgeries by the time I was Eli's age but things like Make A Wish didn't exist yet. So I know what it's like to spend childhood in hospitals and with doctors. I just wish every impacted child, and his or her family, could have an experience like this. Even if just for a day, anything that recognizes the struggles and offers an experience completely at the other end of the spectrum is worth the effort and definitely worth celebrating.

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