Amid a humbling season and a torrential thunderstorm of boos raining down from Dodger Stadium fans, Matt Kemp continues to do what he can to lift the spirits of a young man who has too few days to appreciate his baseball hero.
MLB.com (h/t Beer Mug Sports) captured the reunion of Kemp and the terminal cancer patient he met a few weeks ago at San Francisco's AT&T Park, Joshua Jones.
According to the video's description, the Dodgers' outfielder flew Jones and his family down to meet players and staff, but someone else decided to stop by.
As if the video weren't already filled with smile-inducing moments, Mike Trout came by to wish the young fan well and exchange pleasantries with Kemp before Monday's game against the Angels.
In an instant, Jones had two of the game's great players on either side of him, giving him another remarkable day at the ballpark.
The Dodgers chimed in with a Vine post of their own:
.@therealmattkemp welcomes a friend from San Francisco, Joshua Jones to Dodger Stadium: vine.co/v/bVLWQ6wnP6Y
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 27, 2013
Those uninitiated would do well to read Bill Plaschke's LA Times article on Kemp and his chance meeting earlier this month with Jones—a 19-year-old cancer patient given 90 days to live.
There was hardly a better game for Jones to watch unfold, because crosstown rivals scattered 27 hits during a raucous back and forth that would see the Dodgers ultimately win, 8-7.
Kemp continues to be mired in a bewildering and frustrating slump as he went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts, which caused boo birds to chirp from every corner of the stadium.
While Kemp continues to struggle in confounding style at the plate, he continues to do what he can to bring a measure of joy and wonderment to a young man who only has so many more games to enjoy.
If you ask me, Kemp deserves a standing ovation for the rest of the season and beyond.
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