Five-year-old Matthew’s wish journey began with a fun-filled outing to Dave & Busters! Volunteers Dave and Kristle joined Matthew and his family for an afternoon of games and good food; all in celebration that Matthew’s Wish to meet the New York Yankees was coming true! 

From the moment Matthew stepped into Yankee Stadium, he was treated like a true MVP. During a special behind-the-scenes tour, Matthew got to hold a piece of baseball history, Babe Ruth’s bat, a moment that left everyone in awe. He even visited the iconic YES Network broadcast booth where he met sportscasting legend Michael Kay, something baseball fans dream of. 

As Matthew and his family made their way to the field, he stood in wonder as his favorite players warmed up. Then came the moment of a lifetime. Matthew’s hero and Team Captain, Aaron Judge, pulled Matthew out of the viewing area during batting practice and gave him his actual batting gloves. Cameras rolled as the scene later aired on the YES Network’s pregame show, an unforgettable moment for the whole family. 

“The trip... there are no words,” said Matthew’s mom. “Literally just silent tears of joy running down this mom’s face all weekend.” She added, “Anyone he called out to came over to meet him and sign his ball. Matthew was so pumped!” 

The excitement continued as the family enjoyed dinner at the Legends Suite and watched the Yankees take on the Tampa Bay Rays from their suite. The night ended in perfect fashion with a Yankees win: a 3-0 shutout victory powered by Paul Goldschmidt’s three-run homer in the fifth inning. 

Matthew’s Dad couldn’t have said it better: “The whole experience was awesome, and we all had a great time. I just want to say thank you for the whole experience. You guys are such wonderful people. I am forever grateful to the Make-A-Wish Foundation for making this day for my son. He and I will never forget that day.” 

As the final out was recorded and the crowd erupted in cheers, Matthew’s Wish Day came to a close, but the impact of this Wish will last a lifetime. 

Special thanks to the New York Yankees, YES Network, Dave & Buster’s, Ladylily’s Place, volunteers Dave and Kristle, Fanatics, the official sports partner of Make-A-Wish, and Make-A-Wish Metro & Western NY — especially Savannah — for helping make Matthew’s home run dream come true.