Emiliano Bermejo is a seven-year-old boy from Mexico who had basically died three times and was brought back to life. He is truly a miracle. He is suffering from a very aggressive brain cancer known as D.I.P.G.
The only thing that I can tell you about this horrific cancer is that it took the life of one of my closest friends six-year-old son Cristian. The horrible mental pain that his dad John had and has to endure is indescribable. As a dad, I cannot imagine the magnitude of such mental torture.
I have known Emiliano for the last three years and have come to the conclusion that there has to be a God because Emiliano is so beautiful and like God so forgiving even with all the pain that he has endured because of this horrible disease.
John Gungie Rivera and the Cristian Rivera Foundation have been doing incredible work for the fifteen years since John lost Cristian. He has vowed not to stop helping his great doctors find a cure. Dr. Mark Souweidane has been a tireless warrior in his research. I can honestly report that the kids are living longer.
This past week Emiliano’s father Josue Bermejo called in a sad state. John got very nervous because he thought there was something wrong with Emiliano. The reality was that Emiliano wanted to go to the Yankees Diablos Rojo game in Mexico but the game was sold out within thirty minutes after the tickets went on sale.
John called me and told me the situation and I knew that even if I had to find a scalper in Mexico I would get the tickets.
Fortunately, Yankees special assistant Omar Minaya and team President Randy Levine were going on this trip and I prayed that they could possibly help. As a matter of fact I was pretty confident that they could. The reason being is that Omar has helped me with this type of situation since we were kids going to my mom’s school (she was a teacher) to help her with the kids in her class. He understands how blessed he is. As for Randy Levine, he has done the incredible ever since I first met him years ago. He has been an inspiration for many in need. That’s why I have always said that he has been a perfect disciple for the Steinbrenner family whose off-the-field charitable endeavors are legendary.
Not only did they get little Emiliano tickets for the game, they also got him a baseball and had Randy, Omar, and manager Aaron Boone take pictures with him and his family. They couldn’t do enough for this little walking miracle.
I was a nervous wreck all day because I didn’t know if they got their tickets let alone meet their heroes.
Minutes after the game I got a call from Omar and he told me what had happened. I will be honest with you, the more he told me the more I cried because beautiful things like this can be a wonderful medicine for those who are suffering from these types of disease.
Sometimes things like this can almost miraculously be a cure.
As a romantic I always think of the wonderful movie ‘ The Pride of the Yankees’ and how meeting Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig helped a little boy recover from illness.
Through the years I have seen this miracle happen at Sloan Kettering and Hackensack University Medical Center after player hospital visits. I hope to continue to see it for years to come.
Thanks, Omar for understanding that your role in life is more than just Baseball.
Thanks, Randy Levine because just like the Boss, behind that tough exterior lies someone who always quietly helps thy fellow men!
Also thanks Steinbrenner family for helping so many charities through the years… I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
