BARR-REEVE — A young New York Yankees fan battling cancer was given the experience of a lifetime last weekend when he not only attended the Yankees’ matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals but also met several of his baseball heroes.
8-year-old Ben Clark, a lifelong Yankees supporter, was diagnosed with cancer in May. His mother, Nicole Clark, had purchased tickets to the August 16 game as a birthday gift months earlier, uncertain whether her son would be well enough to attend. Thanks to a chain of support, including help from family friend Lacey Higgins and the Yankees organization, the game became an unforgettable moment of joy.
In addition to watching his favorite team, Ben met Yankees players, the general manager, and the coaching staff. He received autographs from stars including Aaron Judge, Jazz Chisholm, and Jason Dominguez. Players also accepted an orange bracelet with Ben’s name, which they wore during Saturday’s game. Some continued to wear it on Sunday, with outfielder Ben Rice spotted sporting the bracelet during Monday’s game.
Ben was also gifted a bat and posed for photos with players in the clubhouse. His mother described the experience as “truly magical,” crediting the Yankees and Higgins for making her son’s dreams come true.
“This was so much greater than we could have ever imagined,” Clark wrote in a social media post sharing photos of her son’s day. “We were even more touched to see the players still wearing Ben’s bracelet during the game.”
On August 28th, Nicole took to Facebook to make an announcement about Ben’s health: “Dr. Jackson just called with incredible news regarding Ben’s PET scan and Chest CT results! He said the scans were exceptional, showcasing the best-case scenario! They were incredibly reassuring, showing a complete metabolic response. This means that the cancer that was previously active is no longer metabolically active, and the chemotherapy is working. He mentioned the spots in Ben’s lungs have shrunk from marble/grape size to tiny little specks!!! He expressed the results were exactly what he had hoped for. PRAISE THE LORD for answered prayers.”
