Through Thick and Thin (Anthony Rizzo)

Special Visit

Jazmyn

After both Anthony and I pass the covid testing and my training for covid relief was done I get to take him into Luries for about two hours before we get kicked out. I had to pull a few strings in order to get him in but they understood what he means to these kids. They get that he has been quarantining and doing everything he can to make sure he hasn't been exposed to the virus since he took that test. I have too. And now he can finally get the one thing he has wanted most since the lock down has started.

We didn't have to wear hazmat suits but they give us lab coats and face shield on top of the masks we had on. We pull on gloves too just for extra precaution. Anthony knows exactly where to go as I follow him around.

Once we arrive on the recovery floor Anthony finds a nurse he has worked with since the beginning. The lady gives him a big old hug making my chest feel all types of warm. The surprise on her face was priceless and you can hear in her voice just how much he means to this hospital, not just to the kids but the nurses and doctors too. If I'm considered a hero for killing people than he is a angel for saving peoples lives.

"And who do you have here" the older lady asks as she turns to me. She had the kindest smile on her face behind her shield, like she was meant to work with children.

"This is my wonderful girlfriend, Jazmyn. Jazzy this is Taylor and she works a lot with the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation. She works close with my parents setting up visits and finding kids strong enough to come to games" he explains.

"It's a pleasure to meet you" I smile as I pull her into a hug. I'm a hugger, what can I say? "Thank you for what you're doing here. It means a lot."

"And thank you for your service" she claims as she looks down. I had to come in uniform because technically I was working but I figured the lab coat covered it up. I guess not.

"Things like this, this is what I fight for. For a future for these kids. So when they leave this hospital they are happy to be in the real world again. Not scared or restricted" I admit.

"Thanks to people like you that's possible" she smiles.

We talk for a little bit before we go and meet the kids. The first one we visit is a huge Cubs fan. He was new to the hospital so Anthony hadn't met him yet. But he was a sweet little boy named Jeremy, about seven years old and had a rare form of leukemia. He just about fell over when Anthony walked in, he already had Cubs stuff all around his room. I'm sure he heard about Anthony's involvement in the hospital but probably believed that he wouldn't ever see him because of the virus. But the first part in miracles happening is believing in them.

Anthony sits down next to the boy and I let them talk. I get my satisfaction from knowing this mans hero went through a lot of shit in order to see him but it didn't stop him. The smile on that kids face was so big I could see it under his mask.

"So what do you want to be when you grow older" Anthony asks Jeremy.

"I want to be like you" the kid proclaims.

"You want to play baseball" Anthony wonders.

"No" the little boy shakes his head. "I want to be like you, not any baseball player. I want to help people and give back" Jeremy explains.

Anthony just smiles down at the kid. "The world needs more people like that. Especially in times like this where too many people aren't thinking about the greater good of others. But we are supposed to look out for one another, protect each other because it's human nature. It's the right thing to do" Anthony says.

The child nods his head but I'm not really sure he understands the concept for fighting for others. I'm not sure most people my age get it either and people's lives depend on it. I mean, all they're asking is for us to wear a mask, that's all. And people claim it's taking away their rights as Americans. How? That I'm not really sure of. The fact that the government is constantly watching us takes away our rights to privacy. The fact that we value material things like guns over peoples lives takes away every freedom we have. People would rather play victim than hero nowadays and it makes it so hard to have faith in this world, in this country specifically. Each day it's something new that appears on the news and makes me feel like this country I fought for, it isn't what I thought it was.

But there's also people like Anthony who reminds me that there's a bigger picture. There's a whole generation of kids who has to grow up during these times and needs guidance or else they will fall down the wrong path. Compassion and empathy is learned through experiences not taught in a classroom, and he had the ability to share compassion and inflict it on others. Like Jeremy. And maybe, just maybe, there's hope for us after all.

After visiting with Jeremy we meet a few other kids. Anthony finds a kid who has been here since he was here last and they catch up. I see the little girls eyes move to me every once in a while before she finally asks.

"Is she your girlfriend" the little girl questions.

"She is" Anthony states proudly.

"Can I see a picture of you two, without the masks" she wonders.

Anthony pulls his phone out and activated the lock screen. There was a picture of us out on his boat with the moon high above us. It took forever for us to get the picture right because no one was there to take it for us, but we figured it out. It was my lock screen too, one of my favorite pictures of us.

"Woah, you're beautiful" the girl says to me. I lean down next to her and smile up at her.

"Thank you, you're very beautiful yourself. I love your eyes" I admit.

"Really" she gasps.

"Yeah. They're deep and full of life. What do you plan to do when you get out of here" I wonder.

"I want to go back to school, I really miss my friends. Then I want to go horse back riding with my brothers again" she explains.

"How many brothers do you have" I question.

"Four" she sighs and I laugh a little. I get it, I really do.

"I have five brothers" I tell her as she smiles.

"Does it get better" she wonders.

"I think it does, yeah. As we get older we realize how nice we really have it. There might be days I want to sell my brothers on eBay. But there's more days where I would give anything to be back home where I know I can go into any of their rooms and they would do anything for me" I admit.

"I guess that's true" she nods.