CINCINNATI — There’s a certain magic about a going to their first baseball game for their favorite team. Especially if they’ve waited their whole life to do so.
This is especially true for one young Reds fan.
What You Need To Know
- 11-year old Morgun Brandon went to his first Reds game Tuesday
- He’s had several medical conditions that require treatment at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
- He and his mother travel every three months from California for treatment
- The Reds presented him with the game ball before the game with the Brewers
Morgun Brandon, 11, and his mom Michelle traveled from Brentwood, California for their first Reds game.
While Morgun Brandon may look like a typical 11-year-old, he’s been through more than his smile shows, which is exactly why his first trip to Great American Ball Park was such a special day.
“His condition is eosinophilic esophagitis,” Michelle Brandon said. “So we are seen at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for treatment.”
Every three months for the last 10 years, Morgun has been receiving treatment at Cincinnati Children’s. Having flown back and forth from Ohio to California for the past decade, his mom said the road has not been easy.
“He’s had eight surgeries and 72 sedations,” Michelle said. “We’ve almost lost him twice as a baby. His feeding tube, his body rejected his feeding tube, so he was being fed TPN through the veins. We never thought we’d see him like he is now.”
Morgun also has Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, a bicuspid aortic heart valve, and Familial Mediterranean Syndrome.
But through it all, Morgun has become a big Reds fan as well as MVP catcher for his own team, but despite all their trips to Cincinnati for all the treatments, they haven’t been able to make a game — until Tuesday.
“We drove past it so many times and always looked at it like I want to go there. I want to go there,” Morgun said.
For a souvenir, he wanted something most fans crave.
“A lot of autographs, maybe,” he said.
Due to COVID-19 protocols, players are not accessible to fans, but a message about Morgun was shared to the Reds by Spectrum News 1.
The Reds were informed of his story — and within minutes Reds Public Relations Manager Michael Anderson came down to improve their game day experience — giving them free access to the Reds Hall of Fame.
To top it off, the Reds surprised him the honorary game ball before the first pitch, making his day that much more meaningful for him and his mother and creating memories they will never forget.
“The City’s done a lot for me to be honest,” Morgun said. “I love the city and I love the stadium.”
