Here's a note from John Gatlin, who is director of community outreach for Children's Assessment Center:
Saturday afternoon, I waited at the back of Minute Maid Park after the game, hoping for some autographs.
About 50-60 people waited behind barricades on both sides of the exit for Astros players. One of those waiting was the mother of a young man who had been part of the Sunshine Kids.
This mom is the kind of person anyone would want to know and call friend. She was sunny and pleasant even though she was surrounded by others who were neither of those things.
Waiting along with her husband and two children, she held a sign the family had made that read: ''Hey, Biggio, Hit One Out for Cameron.''
With most other players already gone, Biggio drove past the crowd. Traffic forced Craig to stop a short distance from the exit. Cameron's mom bolted toward Biggio like she was trying to beat out a bunt single. She caught up to Biggio's SUV and waved her sign from the sidewalk.
Biggio clearly recognized her because he left his car in park, door open in the middle of Congress Avenue, and gave her a hug then conducted a brief but intimate dialogue.
I jogged after her but, knowing what the conversation was, I chose to remain a respectful distance.
There was a point where I could see Biggio become visibly saddened by the news that he would never see Cameron again.
But Cameron's mom clearly reveled in thanking Biggio for doing what the sign had asked. Biggio had indeed homered to start the game. With many others descending on the pair, Biggio bid Cameron's mom a reluctant farewell. In my mind, this was Craig's biggest hit of the season.
I know that Craig does this kind of thing on a regular basis, but to witness something like this, unscheduled, unscripted, utterly human, compassionate, and spontaneous was, I felt, very special.
