Phillies Reliever Surprises Patients At St. Christopher's Hospital: 'It Keeps Their Mind Off Everything'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Patients at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children got a surprise visit from a local sports hero Tuesday morning.
"What are you doing here?!"
Phillies reliever and Paul VI High School grad Andrew Bailey seemed surprised when the Phillie Phanatic barged in while he was playing games, signing autographs and taking selfies with about a dozen oncology patients at St. Christopher's.
Seventeen-year-old Kyle Davis chatted with Bailey about baseball and Pokemon, and that brightened his day before Kyle's chemotherapy treatment for Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
"You're right about that because chemo messes with your mood too. But this has picked up the mood. Everybody's happy here, too."
Bailey says he enjoyed spending an hour with his young fans.
"I think they were a little more excited for the Phillie Phanatic! Just kidding. For them, I think it just keeps their mind off of everything, even if it's just 30 minutes, it keeps their mind off of what they're going through."
And it may bring them a smile when they need one most.