Young cancer survivor gets surprise from Astros star

HOUSTON – An 8-year-old cancer survivor got the surprise of his life when an Astros baseball player visited him at a ballpark.

"There were days when we were in the hospital that I never in my wildest dreams would have thought I'd be standing there watching him run around," Tristan Dawson said.

For Dawson, the smile on her 8-year-old son's face at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches was unimaginable.

"I can't tell you how horrific it is as a parent to be told that your child has leukemia," Dawson said.

After three years of intense radiation treatments, Drew is in remission.

"I'm just getting back into sports. I had leukemia. It started when I was a baby, like, 3 years old," Drew said.

This week, his illness was a distant memory as Drew met his new friend Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers.

"It was cool. I think he enjoyed it. He got to meet a lot of the guys," McCullers said.

McCullers along with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, surprised Drew with a "Day in the Life of a Pitcher."

"It was fun. He showed me around. We played some ball, catch. Good time," Drew said.

Fans even got to meet the honorary Astro player.

"Watching Drew sign autographs? That was the coolest thing!" a fan said.

Before the game, the field belonged to Drew. He hit a home run off of his new friend.

"That really kind of summed it all up. It was kind of like a victory lap," Drew said.

Drew left the park with a lot of autographed merchandise and a future full of new possibilities. Dawson said there's nothing holding him back now.

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society needs your help to make more stories like this happen. KPRC2 Eric Braate goal is to raise $140, 600 and $1,000 for each mile of his triathlon in October. 

Click here to read more about Eric's training.

 

CLICK HERE TO DONATE THROUGH ERIC'S PAGE!


About the Author:

Meteorologist, runner, triathlete and proud Houstonian.