In June 2025, torrential rains have left parts of East Texas in a state of emergency. Schools have been cut off, stadiums have turned into rivers, and thousands have been evacuated overnight. But amid the news of loss, a glimmer of hope has begun to burn… right at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
On a Monday morning, Lars Nootbaar, a young Cardinals star, walks into the team meeting room with red eyes. He’s just made a FaceTime call to a college friend who’s now stranded in Houston without electricity or running water. The room falls silent as he says,
“We can’t sit here and play ball and ignore it. We’re the Cardinals—the birds of the air. Fly to Texas.”
Less than 48 hours later, the “Cardinals Care Convoy” began rolling out – loaded with supplies, clean water, medical supplies, and the most special thing: bats, gloves, and red Cardinals hats for children in the flood zone.
In a small town on the Trinity River, the high school baseball field was now just mud and water lilies. But then something miraculous happened: A motorboat carrying Cardinals players landed right in the middle of the flood!
Adam Wainwright, despite his retirement, joined young players like Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman to deliver relief supplies directly to each family. They didn’t bring MLB glory – they brought the warmth of humanity.
A 10-year-old boy, who received a red bat signed by Wainwright, whispered to his mother:
“I’m going to be a Cardinal – but a Cardinal like him…”
As the sky cleared, the Cardinals held a benefit concert on the first dry land after the flood, with a local band and the entire Cardinals’ team. Cheers rang out amid applause, truck lights and smiles from those who had just escaped the disaster.
On a remaining tree trunk, someone had written in black marker:
“Where the flood goes, Cardinals stay.”
After leaving, the St. Louis Cardinals continued to raise funds and provide grants to rebuild three schools, two football fields, and a community center called “Redbird Rising” – where all Texas children can dream, play sports and learn to give hope.