Royals reunite with superfan Nauser to commemorate Lou Gehrig Day

CINCINNATI -- On the day across Major League Baseball that teams, coaches, staff and players honor the memory of Lou Gehrig and what he did to raise awareness of the crippling disease that bears his name, the Royals came together before their game against the Reds to honor one of their own who is likewise fighting the good fight.

Sporting “Fight Like A Girl” T-shirts, players, coaches and staff surrounded Sarah Nauser and her supportive husband, Lonnie, in her customized wheelchair, designed to take her wherever her beloved Royals are playing. Tuesday night, on Lou Gehrig Day across MLB, that place was Great American Ball Park.

“Especially the way things have gone for us these last couple weeks, and to get texts from Sarah or Lonnie after a game, like, ‘Hang in there, it'll turn’ and ‘Stay positive,’” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said, “and then you think for a second, coming from her and the horrible disease that she's battling, and the way she supports us, it has to feel more important to us because of her and what she means to us, the city, the team and the organization. If you don't feel that way, I think there might be something missing in your heart.”

Nauser is a lifelong, passionate fan of the Royals whose moving battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) has deeply intertwined her life with the Major League Baseball franchise.

Raised in Blue Springs, Mo., Nauser grew up playing softball and spending her nights cheering at Kauffman Stadium, which she fondly calls her “happy place.” Nauser pursued a career in law enforcement and served as an officer for the Kansas City (Mo.) Police Department (KCPD).

In May 2018, at the age of 29, she received a devastating diagnosis of terminal ALS. Shortly after learning of her condition, she fulfilled a lifelong dream by working her final shift in full police uniform as dugout security during a Royals game.

That pivotal evening sparked enduring, personal relationships with team personnel and legendary franchise players. Hall of Famer George Brett met Nauser that night, promised to stand by her side and has remained a close friend and active partner in her advocacy work.

Over the years, the Royals' organization has embraced Nauser, treating her as an extended part of the team. During the 2025 Lou Gehrig Day commemorations at Kauffman Stadium, the team partnered with the Permobil Foundation to surprise Nauser with a custom, Royals-branded power wheelchair, which was personally signed by Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.

Nauser uses her platform and her non-profit organization, Sarah's Soldiers, to provide emergency grants and medical equipment to alternative ALS families. For Nauser, Royals baseball remains a critical emotional outlet. Her unwavering spirit continues to inspire the “Boys in Blue,” turning a lifelong fan into a true hero to her hometown heroes.