28
July
2015
|
02:40 AM
America/Chicago

Alex Gordon inspires, motivates young cancer survivor

Months after a Kansas family feared they would lose a son to cancer, things changed for the better after a friend in a Royals uniform paid a visit.

Nelijah Tatum, of Liberal, Kansas, is a big Alex Gordon fan and even wears the same jersey number as the Royals left fielder. But as Gordon and the Royals went on their expected run to the World Series, Nelijah's family got some unexpected news.

"They did an exam on his heart and found a tumor," said Cecil Tatum, Nelijah's father.

Gordon visited the hospital in December and met Nelijah, even giving him his No. 4 Royals jersey.

After that day, things changed.

"Just a whole turnaround," said Misty Tatum, Nelijah's mother. "Everything had gotten better. He had more inspiration. He had more of a fight in him. When someone like that comes to you (says), like, ‘I know you are going to make it. I know you are going to be OK,' it means so much to these kids."

Doctors said Nelijah has made a complete recovery. He said he hopes to meet Alex Gordon again and thank him for the jersey that made such a difference.

Read more via KMBC