James Warren suffers from a life-threatening condition and loves baseball. His favorite teams are the Houston Astros and the Corpus Christi Hooks. James’ wish was to see the Astros play at their home stadium. Kids Wish Network, a children’s charity that grants wishes for kids with life-threatening illnesses, gave James a wish he would always cherish.

James’ wish began with a Hooks baseball summer camp and tickets to the Hooks home games. To his surprise, during a game, he was pulled to the sidelines, and an announcer revealed that he would be attending and throwing the ceremonial first pitch at an upcoming Houston Astros game. 

During the wish, his family stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites Houston by the Galleria. On James’ big day, they traveled to Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros. When they arrived, they were greeted by representatives of the Astros Foundation and given an exclusive tour of the stadium including the locker rooms. James also felt like a celebrity sitting at the head of the table in the press conference room. “We loved seeing the excitement on his face,” said James’ mom Tracy.

He received lots of Astros gear and memorabilia including a replica 2017 championship ring and his own custom jersey. James and his family then hit the field where he met most of the players as they were warming up. James had a special spot right on the field and received autographed swag from players including a pair of signed batting gloves from catcher Martin Maldonado, the same position that James plays on his own hometown team. Before the game, the family was treated to a delicious dinner in the stadium’s Diamond Club. As the game began, James was led out to the pitcher’s mound by Astro’s mascot Orbit to throw the honorary first pitch. The second James launched his fastball, the crowd erupted in cheer. Afterward, James watched the Astros’ victory. “We could have saved our entire lives for a family trip, but what Kids Wish Network gave James, we never could have done on our own,” said his mom.

“We’re incredibly appreciative to the Astros for making James’ wish more extraordinary than he ever could have dreamed,” said Kids Wish Network Executive Director Tam Lai.

Kids Wish Network is a national charitable organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children with life-threatening conditions and struggling with life-altering situations. KWN provides for trip expenses, meals, accommodations, and additional spending monies to all wish families whenever traveling as applicable. Visit www.kidswishnetwork.org to learn about our different programs, and refer a child now.