Los Angeles Dodgers star Freddie Freeman and his wife, Chelsea, are donating $1 million to a Southern California children’s hospital where their son was treated for several weeks in 2024.
The Freemans will be gifting $1 million to Children’s Hospital of Orange County, the medical facility where their son, Maximus, recovered from a severe case of Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Maximus was hospitalized last summer for treatment of the rare autoimmune disorder, including spending more than a week in the hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit.
He was intubated and put on a ventilator, suffered temporary paralysis throughout most of his body, and was forced to essentially relearn how to walk.
In a statement provided to ESPN, Freeman said the family’s regular trips to the PICU left a lasting impact on him and his wife.
“Seeing every room full in the PICU each and every day impacted Chelsea and I deeply. Getting to know the doctors, nurses and care teams and seeing how they show up each day to bring healing and hope to kids and their families was inspiring,” Freeman said. “CHOC saved Maximus’ life.”
A two-time World Series champion and an eight-time MLB All Star, Freeman missed several games in the middle of the 2024 season to be with his family during his son’s recovery. The team permitted him to miss as much time as needed, and he was greeted by the fans with a rousing standing ovation by the fans, and his teammates donning official warmup gear that read #MaxStrong.
Freeman’s tumultuous 2024 MLB season ultimately resulted in his second World Series championship, and being named the World Series Most Valuable Player.
Maximus, meanwhile, is back on the mend. In March, Chelsea Freeman provided an update on his recovery, announcing that the now-4-year-old had made significant progress, regaining reflexes in both his legs and feet, and surpassing his pre-diagnosis weight.
“He is 80% recovered,” Chelsea said after that March checkup. “I cannot express how thankful I am for these improvements … Life has slowly started to feel more normal. I realize how precious health is now. It is everything. If you are a special needs parent I have no words for how incredible you are.”
Freddie and Chelsea Freeman have two other sons, Max’s twin brother, Brandon, and their older brother, Charlie.
Freddie Freeman continues to be a leader on and off the field for the Dodgers. He currently boasts the top batting average and OPS in the National League, and remains one of the key offensive engines for the 32-21 defending World Series champions.