LOS ANGELES – In the summer of 2024, the Dodgers were shaken when Freddie Freeman’s youngest son Maximus was suddenly diagnosed with Guillain‑Barré syndrome – a rare neurological disease that left him paralyzed from the neck down and requiring a ventilator in the hospital.
Freeman immediately left the team, missing eight important games to be by his son’s bedside. The Dodgers showed unprecedented solidarity: the entire team wore #MaxStrong jerseys, cheering for the Freeman family – from the locker room to the practice field.
A tearful return
The day Freddie returned to the field against the Phillies, in the first moment he stepped up to the plate, the entire stadium announced: #MaxStrong, the “Dodgers” and the opposing Dodgers all stood up to applaud. Freddie couldn’t hold back his tears when he saw his father in the stands.
He shared:
“I made the swing, but then I saw my dad cry – that was the most comfortable strikeout of my career.”
Son gets better, faith is restored
After 8 days in the ICU, Maximus was taken off the ventilator and began physical therapy – gradually regaining his mobility.
Freeman gushed:
“I know no one should have to go through this… But now that my son is… on the road to recovery… it’s a miracle.”
The Dodgers showed the spirit of family, as the entire team stood by Freeman – both on and off the field.
The MLB community and fans everywhere shared the same message: #MaxStrong is not just a hashtag, but a belief in the strength of children and families.
Freddie Freeman’s comeback was not a victory in terms of scores, but a victory of fatherhood, pain and faith. Each swing that day not only made the Dodgers happy, but also proved that… off the field, the most important battle is behind the hospital bedside, where a father fights for his son.