SEATTLE — Perhaps the biggest home run of the MLB All-Star Game happened before the game even started.
Kids from across the U.S. were granted trips to fly into Seattle for All-Star Week and one local boy took to the field to kick off the All-Star Game. Brayden Friberg, 8, had a hard time deciding on his wish but his love of baseball and passion for the Mariners made things a bit easier.
Make-A-Wish of Alaska and Washington worked with the Mariners to create an unforgettable opportunity for Brayden to run the bases in front of a sold-out All-Star crowd at T-Mobile Park.
“I get to say 'Play ball', too!” said Brayden. The Friberg family is waiting on a Wish Trip to Disneyworld and says the opportunity for Brayden to share the field with his heroes is a true dream come true.
Samantha and Scott Friberg say Brayden has kept his eye on the ball throughout his battle with cancer. Brayden was diagnosed with Hepatoblastoma, a childhood liver cancer, back in November of 2022. Chemotherapy took its toll on Brayden but his parents say his only concern was playing his favorite sport again.
“One of the things he kept asking his oncology doctor was if he would be able to play baseball in the spring,” says Samantha.
The family says his doctor was consistently encouraging and told him they would get him back to baseball. It was a promise made good and boosted by the Seattle Mariners who surprised Brayden with a special team salute and personal moment with Julio Rodriguez.
“He’s been through six rounds of Chemo and has had five different surgical procedures over seven months so he’s anxious to be a kid again,” says Samantha.
Brayden also has an important responsibility to be a good big brother to his six-year-old sister, Rylee.
Kathryn Mueller with Make-A-Wish of Alaska and Washington says giving kids like Brayden provides, joy, hope and faith.
“When he’s running those bases he won’t be thinking about cancer or the tough times he’s just faced. He will have a whole community of people cheering for him and we can’t wait to see him in front of that crowd,” says Mueller.
Make-a-Wish of Alaska and Washington has granted nearly 8,300 wishes for local children and the Friberg family will keep the celebration going all the way to Disneyworld in the months to come.
Brayden says running the bases in front of more than 47,000 people will be intimidating but he knows a thing or two about being tough.
“I’m just gonna be as brave as I possibly can,” he said.