Thomas Hastings has known struggles few of us could ever imagine. He was born with scoliosis and had to undergo numerous spinal surgeries. He was then diagnosed with muscular dystrophy after his first birthday, but never let these setbacks bring him down. Thomas continues to love life, and find joy in his favorite sport — baseball. Last fall he was given the best surprise ever.
Make-A-Wish and the Red Sox turned this kid’s backyard into a perfect replica of Fenway
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
When Thomas’ parents worked with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and told him he could have anything he wanted, there was only one answer: He wanted a baseball field in his own backyard. His beloved Red Sox delivered the dream in a way he never could have imagined, and a new video detailing the process is incredible.
The Red Sox helped build “Fantasy Fenway,” a perfect scale replica of the park to be in Thomas’ backyard. The team’s groundskeeper, David Mellor, helped oversee the construction to make sure it was as accurate as possible, and 100 incredible volunteers gave up their time to make this dream a reality.
Work took over a month, but when the field was finally unveiled the result was nothing short of spectacular.
The scoreboard was perfect.
The Green Monster is exactly like it is at Fenway.
The Red Sox ensured the park is wheelchair accessible, so Thomas would always be able to enjoy his Fantasy Fenway.
This is honestly one of the most touching things you’ll see this year. Here’s the new video of how this project happened, but advanced warning: Get the tissues ready.
