August 10th 2024.
Mason Hooker had a big wish, and it came true in the most magical way possible. It all started when Mason was just three years old, and he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It was a tough and scary time for Mason, but he was a brave little boy who found comfort in the world of baseball, particularly in the Rockies' very own Todd Helton. "Baseball helped me focus on good things," Mason shared from his home near Grand Junction. "It made me forget about leukemia for a little while."
But Mason's journey was far from easy. Every month, he and his mom, Michelle, would make the four-hour trip across the mountains to Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora for Mason's treatments. The chemotherapy, infusions, and spinal taps took a toll on Mason, and he needed something magical to lift his spirits.
And thanks to the kindness of Helton, the Rockies, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Colorado, that's exactly what happened. In August of 2015, when Mason was just five years old and still fighting his illness, he got the chance of a lifetime to play baseball with his idol, Todd Helton, at Coors Field.
"It was such a cool experience," said Mason, who is now a teenager. He's not one for too many words, but his smile speaks volumes.
This summer, with his love for baseball still burning strong, Mason made the journey to Cooperstown, New York, to witness Helton's induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Accompanied by his grandparents, Patrick and Ingrid Hooker, Mason found the perfect spot to watch the Parade of Legends on Main Street on a hot Saturday afternoon. Dressed in his white, pinstriped Rockies jersey with Helton's number 17, Mason cheered on his hero.
"I don't know if he saw me or not," Mason said with a shrug. "There were a lot of people there."
But the real highlight came on Sunday when Mason got to see his idol officially inducted into the Hall of Fame and hear him deliver a heartfelt speech. And just when Mason thought it couldn't get any better, he was in for a surprise on Monday.
During an autograph event in downtown Cooperstown, Mason and Helton were reunited once again. "Yeah, he remembered me," Mason said excitedly. "We talked about how I'm all healthy now and what grade I'm going into. And we talked about golfing, too."
Mason, who is now a freshman at Fruita Monument High School, dreams of playing both golf and baseball. This summer, he even played for the Junction Jets, a competitive travel team, where he played right field, second base, and catcher.
"The coach liked Mason because he's a versatile player," Michelle proudly shared. "He'll play wherever he's needed."
Mason's love for Helton started at a young age. He claims to have been a fan since he was just two years old when he saw Helton play in a Cactus League game during spring training. "I liked first base, and he was a great first baseman," Mason said with a smile.
It was in early 2015 when Mason received the opportunity of a lifetime. "He said his wish was to play baseball with Todd Helton," Mason's dad, John, recalled. "Getting celebrity wishes can be complicated, but playing baseball with Todd was always Mason's dream, and he never wavered."
Mason first met Helton, even if it was just briefly, when he visited the Western Slope for an event with the Grand Junction Rockies, the Rockies' rookie league affiliate at the time. John received a call from the CEO of the hospital where he worked, telling him to bring Mason to the minor league ballpark for a chance to meet Helton.
Mason got to meet his idol and even got some autographs, including one on a jersey that he now has framed and hanging in his bedroom. The Hookers had been trying for a while to make Mason's Make-A-Wish dream come true. So at the Grand Junction event, Michelle took the opportunity to tell Helton about Mason.
"He said, 'Let's make that happen'," Michelle fondly recalled.
Todd Helton truly is a kind and gracious person. John added, "As professional athletes go, he's so down to earth."
But the Hookers weren't sure if Mason's wish would ever come true. Imagine their surprise when, just two weeks later, everything was in place. The Rockies provided a hotel for the family, and they were chauffeured to Coors Field in a limousine. Helton, along with former Rockies outfielder Cory Sullivan and members of Make-A-Wish Colorado, welcomed the family.
The Hookers got to tour the ballpark, including the Rockies clubhouse, and do some souvenir shopping. Mason, his older brother Jack, and their parents even received personalized Rockies jerseys with their last name on the back and Helton's number 17.
But the best part of the day was when Mason and Jack got to take the field with Helton and Sullivan. Helton had retired after 17 years with the Rockies at the end of the 2013 season, but as Michelle joked, "Mason's thought was, 'I'm going to bring him out of retirement'."
Mason got to play catch with Helton and even hit some balls during batting practice. He proudly told his grandfather that he hit a triple. "My favorite part of the day was when Todd coached Mason on how to play first base. It was so adorable," Michelle shared.
"And it was incredibly moving. Baseball was what got Mason through all those treatments. He played baseball, whether it was indoors or outdoors. Even when he was in a lot of pain, we would play catch with him sitting on the couch or he would hit inside the house. We would go to Rockies games whenever we could."
Mason is now in great health, technically in remission since July of 2013 after three and a half years of treatments. He was officially discharged from Children's Hospital in July of 2023, after ten years of being cancer-free.
Mason believes that he and Helton are now lifelong buddies. He proudly displays a photo of him and Helton together at the Hall of Fame as the screensaver on his phone, and they've even exchanged phone numbers.
"He's a great guy, really nice," Mason gushed. "And I got to play baseball with him at Coors Field."
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