David Ortiz Spends Afternoon With Children At MGH
BOSTON (CBS) -- As the Boston Red Sox gear up for what should be an exciting offseason, David Ortiz enjoyed a very special day on Thursday.
Ortiz spent the afternoon at Mass General Hospital for Children, raising the spirits of patients and checking out the recently dedicated "David Ortiz Children's Fund Pediatric Examining Room" for the first time. The slugger also presented the hospital with a $100,000 check from The David Ortiz Children's Fund.
"This is very important to me. It's something I like to spend time doing, just putting a smile on their faces and getting to hang out with them for a few minutes," Ortiz said of his visit. "I always look at the positive side of things. Through the years I've seen kids in so much pain, coming in or out or surgery, and the minute they see me they forget about the pain for a bit. That's important for me.
"All of us as athletes, we should take time and visit kids," he added. "It's no secret that I'm crazy about children. It's the best thing to happen to any one of us."
As one of the most recognizable sports figures to ever play in such a sports-crazed city, Ortiz is proud he can use his celebrity for something good. His message to the kids he visits is simple, but one that remains with them forever: "The most important thing is you can never stop dreaming."
The three-time World Champ shares a special relationship with Mass General, one he says continues to grow stronger as the years go on.
"One of my kids was born here in 2004," Ortiz explained. "Whenever I've had the opportunity to come here and visit kids, or check up on friends or a family member, Mass General has always had the door open for me. I've always let them know whenever they need me to be around, I'm always available."
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As for baseball, Ortiz is getting ready for his 14th season in a Boston uniform. He likes what he's seen from the new man in charge, Dave Dombrowski, and is confident the Red Sox brass will make the right moves to get Boston back in the MLB elite.
"I know something good is cooking," he said. "Our fans, they know this organization works extremely hard at putting a good ball club out there to compete. I'm already excited about things, and not many things have happened yet. Everybody is just looking for the right move, but I'm excited having a guy like Dombrowski putting pieces together. I know the guy works on masterpieces, and that gets me excited."
