CHICAGO -- Melanie Marquez rounded the bases at Rate Field Friday night 15 minutes before first pitch between the White Sox and Royals.
Her run did not count on the scoreboard. But the presence of the 4-year-old had a more significant impact than even the greatest baseball moments throughout that night or throughout the weekend.
Melanie is undergoing treatment for medulloblastoma, and the native of Alsip, Ill., culminated her “ultimate wish” with her “Home Run for Life” jaunt. Melanie exchanged high-fives and low-fives with the Royals lined up on the first base line, before Southpaw, the White Sox mascot who Melanie connected with immediately, carried her from first base to the third-base line where the White Sox were waiting.
Isaac, her 5-year-old brother, also had the chance to run around the bases to the crowd applause.
“We are very grateful for the opportunity and it takes a little pressure off what we have been through for the past couple, three years,” said Eric Marquez, who was joined by his wife, Karla, and their two kids on Friday. “She’s been dealing with this issue since she was a year and a half. It makes it feel like a regular day.”
“I always tell my staff what we do is bittersweet,” White Sox senior vice president of community relations Christine O’Reilly-Riordan said. “We meet a lot of families who are on tough journeys, like Melanie’s family. But the important thing is we are so fortunate to be able to provide them this opportunity and this respite.”
The Marquez family was treated to a full ballpark experience, getting to watch batting practice, take pictures, garner some autographs and talk to many of the players and coaches. Manager Will Venable took time to chat with Melanie and Isaac after his pregame media session, as they sat off to the right of his question and answer session.
Munetaka Murakami, the powerful first baseman with 20 home runs who is working his way back from a right hamstring strain, talked to both Melanie and Isaac in the clubhouse before the game. At 5 years old, Isaac already is a big baseball fan.
“Since he was a year old, my father in law always threw the ball at him,” said Eric of his son. “We saw something in him so we were like alright, baseball it is.”
“To be the sibling of the child who is on a really tough journey is a tough journey in and of itself,” O’Reilly-Riordan said. “We are happy to have them out here and celebrate the whole family and like I said, just give them a little bit of White Sox love.”
Following the pregame recognition, the Andrew Weishar Foundation surprised the family with a $10,000 check. This “Ultimate Wish” fulfillment is an extension of Sox Serve Week, an annual fundraising campaign benefiting Chicago White Sox Charities.
For Melanie and her family, it was a well-deserved chance to enjoy life for the day and take in a game with friends and family.
“It takes the pressure off the day for us to just be out here and enjoy ourselves and enjoy them and see how much fun they are having. It’s wonderful,” Eric said. “Her primary doctor, who has done surgery on her, since Day 1, he always told us to take it day by day.
“We put it in God’s hands and every day is just, to see her here with us, it’s a blessing in disguise. She’s being treated as we speak and doctors are very hopeful.”