ATLANTA — A Braves player gave several patients the championship treatment at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta on Thursday.
Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves outfielder, paid a visit two days after Atlanta cinched the World Series title against the Houston Astros during Game 6 on Tuesday.
Acuña greeted young patients in the hospital hallways and stopped to sign autographs and snap photos with some of his youngest fans -- but that was just a warm up compared to what came next.
The World Series champion walked up to Nolan Madsen, an 11-year-old patient in the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at the hospital. He was wearing Acuña's jersey number 13.
"This is so awesome," Nolan Madsen said. "If I could meet anyone I'd want to meet him."
Acuña surprised the young patient and asked for Madsen's autograph, handing him a marker, according to video from Children's Healthcare. Madsen was shocked at the request, but happily signed his name on a Braves drawing gifted to the ballplayer.
Acuña, a native of Venezuela, expressed his gratitude for the meeting in Spanish, saying he is honored to share his success with the children. He said it is their support that helped get him to where he is, so it's the least he could do to support them on their journey too.
Apart from patient visits, Acuña also donated 113,000 masks to the hospital and thanked staff for their support as the COVID-19 pandemic persists.