Child cancer survivor has 'best day ever' at Blue Jays game thanks to London, Ont. realtor

With a tight grip on his souvenir baseball, you can’t wipe the smile of the face of 10-year old Joel Moscato.

The cancer survivor from Cambridge, Ont. wanted an opportunity to go see the Toronto Blue Jays in person, less than a year after being diagnosed with Stage-4 Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

In his wildest dreams, he never imagined what would happen next.

His mother Elisa posted her son’s wish online in a Blue Jays fan group along with a photo of him wearing a Bo Bichette jersey at the Sick Kids Hospital.

Joel Moscato, wearing a Bo Bichette jersey at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, Ont. (Source: Elisa Moscato) A London, Ont. realtor responded to her post.

“They were just asking for two tickets in the 500 level, and I thought it was great timing because this weekend I couldn’t find anyone to go with me to sit behind home plate so I left a seat open for them,” says Kevin Kingma, from his home in Mt. Brydges, Ont. just west of London.

After convincing them the gesture was real, Kingma met up with the Moscato’s on the concourse at Rogers Centre prior to Saturday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles.

He had a pair of wrist bands and a Bichette jersey to give to Joel, who immediately put them on.

They made their way to the second row behind home plate where Kingma had tickets.

“He (Joel) had a sign that read ‘Hey Bo, I beat cancer like you beat the pitchers,” says Elisa.

He held it up behind the plate, in clear view of the television cameras.

It immediately caught the attention the broadcast crew of Dan Shulman and Buck Martinez as well as Jays all-star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Joel Moscato, 10, a child cancer survivor holds up a sign behind home plate at the Blue Jays game on Saturday May 20, 2023 (Source: Sportsnet) Guerrero pointed to Joel, and called him to the dugout where he was gifted a baseball bat.

When Joel returned to his seat with fans around him cheering, he couldn’t believe what just happened.

“What a day, I got a bat,’ said Joel, who is a very shy kid.

When Kingma asked him how he was feeling, Joel responded with “excited.”

He also was given a baseball by Blue Jays manager John Schneider.

The bat is in the process of being signed by the whole team, and he’ll receive it back soon.

Vladdy made another lifetime memory 💙 pic.twitter.com/pmCgwZqE5H

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) May 20, 2023

However that wasn’t the only surprise.

In the seventh inning, Blue Jays designated hitter Brandon Belt, who had been removed from the game, took the Moscatos and Kingma into the Jays locker room for a tour, where he got to see Bichette’s locker.

“Inside the locker room I got to see a few trophies,” says Joel referring to the 1992 and 1993 World Series Championship trophies.

His mother says he was in shock.

“There were some points where he was shaking, and he was so nervous,” says Elisa.

Belt took a photo with Joel, and said the Moscato’s would have been welcome back into the locker room to celebrate a victory with the team. However that didn’t happen when the Jays lost the game.

Joel Moscato, 10, a child cancer survivor was given a tour of the Blue Jays locker room by player Brandon Belt on Saturday May 20, 2023 (Source: Elisa Moscato) At the end of the day, Joel had referred to the experience as “the best day ever,” and “even better than my birthday.”

It’s something Kingma described as a small act of kindness which really grew.

“Just giving them those home plate seats was one thing, but I could never have written that script,” says Kingma.

“From getting the bat from Vladdy, to John Schneider giving him the ball, and being invited into the clubhouse, it was pretty cool.”

It’s not the first time Kingma has provided a selfless gesture. During the OHL playoffs he brought a Strathroy, Ont. Walmart greeter named Nolan to a number of London Knights games.

“I don’t have any kids, and I always say ‘If you have a little extra light, you can share it,” says Kingma.

“I feel that if I get to go through these positive experiences, it makes me feel good too, and seeing them smile makes it for me.”

Joel Moscato, 10, a child cancer survivor holds a baseball bat given to him by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at the Blue Jays game vs the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday May 20, 2023 (Source: Elia Moscato)He adds that he often receives a number of messages where others have seen his gestures, and in turn gave away their tickets, or bought a jersey, or moved someone into better seats.

For the Moscatos, who have been through a lot over the past year, this was a much needed day.

Elisa has documented the journey on her Facebook page.

“Joel has done five rounds of chemotherapy, and each one was hard on him,” says Elisa.

“He’s been in remission since October, and it’s been tough for him to get back in the routine at school, but he’s doing good.”

And they’ll have a lifelong friend in Kingma.

“He was absolutely amazing,” says Elisa, referring to the stranger who changed her son’s life.

“To give him that experience, we didn’t expect it. We’re forever grateful for sure.”