No press. No cameras. Just one Cubs player and a child who thought the world had forgotten him.
It happened on a rainy Tuesday in Texas. In the aftermath of the devastating floods that destroyed hundreds of homes, one shelter stood quiet — except for the sobs of a little boy named Leo, age 6.
He had lost both parents when floodwaters swept through their trailer. He hadn’t spoken to anyone in three days.
But then someone walked in wearing a Cubs hoodie, holding a small teddy bear and a baseball.
It was Seiya Suzuki.
The Cubs star had flown to Texas on his own dime. No charity press release, no social media post. He’d heard about Leo’s story through a Cubs staff member and asked to meet him.
For over an hour, Seiya sat beside Leo, saying nothing at first. Then he handed the boy the baseball.
“I don’t speak perfect English,” Seiya said gently. “But baseball… is love. You and me, we both know that.”
Leo didn’t speak. But he didn’t let go of the baseball, either.
Later that afternoon, shelter workers witnessed a small miracle: Leo smiled.
He tossed the ball back to Seiya. They played catch for 15 minutes in the hallway, the only sound the soft thump of leather and laughter.
Before leaving, Seiya gave Leo his Cubs hat — and wrote inside the brim:
“When you’re ready, come find me. I’ll be waiting at Wrigley.”
A volunteer snapped a photo of the moment and shared it online with the caption:
“This man just gave a broken child a reason to smile again. No media. Just heart.”
The image went viral in hours. But Seiya never commented.
When asked by reporters later, he simply said:
“I didn’t do it for a headline. I did it because that little boy reminded me what it means to fight back.”
Weeks later, Leo was seen wearing that same Cubs cap every day at the shelter. He now plays Little League.
And he tells everyone:
“One day, I’m going to Wrigley. Seiya’s waiting for me.”