This is just a special thanks to the terrific actor Mark Wahlberg and the Newest New York Met Harrison Bader. Two men in that besides being great at their craft have continually been great humanitarians.
Just recently Mark held his annual fundraising event for his family foundation (Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation) in collaboration with CIBC Capital Markets Miracle Day. This was done on their trading floor.
Wahlberg unfortunately is a RedSox fan but a great person and philanthropist. Even though he knows I’m a Yankee he is always a true gentleman who treats me with respect. He has high regard for what the Yankees represent in the world of philanthropy.
Harrison Bader is one of the classiest baseball player that I have ever known, and in my 50-plus years in the sport, I think I would know.
While a St. Louis Cardinal he was truly loved by the community. Many cried when he was traded to the Yankees. In the one season that he played in the Bronx, he made people love him because he was so giving of himself. Today alone when I was in communication with him he was walking into his Alma Mater Horace Mann High School to spend the day talking to the students.
During the summer Bader found out about the Cristian Rivera Foundation and the fact that the founder John Gungie Rivera had lost his son to a deadly brain tumor and insisted on helping in any way possible. In one day he helped raise a substantial amount of money for research. I never like to mention the amount because I feel it’s not my place however it was a lot. Recently Bader teamed up with Wahlberg and his group and again came through for Cristian’s foundation and all the poor kids that have to struggle with this horrible disease.
Because of the tireless efforts by the doctors some of the children have had a chance to live a longer life. It pains me to see John Rivera’s eyes when he loses one of these kids because he has to relive the pain of Cristian and because he falls in love with the children and their families.
Like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, Wahlberg and Bader have been a great home run duo!
Hollywood knows what they have in Wahlberg, I hope that Mets owners Steve and Alex Cohen know what they have in Harrison Bader.
