Right now, if there is one baseball star who has most of the limelight, it’s Freddie Freeman. Not Shohei Ohtani, not Mookie Betts, but Freeman – for his post-season heroics. The All-Star slugger, through all his injuries, played the World Series – he dominated, helping get the LA Dodgers a 3-0 World Series lead after clinching home runs in all games against the pinstriped team. Nevertheless, his journey hasn’t been less than a topsy-turvy ride this season.

First, his broken finger, through which he played. Secondly, his son Maximus was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease, leaving the family distressed. And when Freeman got back, he got injured during a crucial time of the season. But he didn’t give up; rather, he played through it, and someone he thanks for everything is his dad! It’s tough to imagine, but things could have been very different for Freddie if he hadn’t saved his dad back when he was 12 years old.

Freddie Freeman saved his father’s life

Freddie Freeman is not just a star on the field; he’s a hero to his father. In a 2021 ESPN special Full Circle: The Freddie Freeman Story, the Dodger star talked about the really difficult phase in his life, when he nearly lost his dad, Frederick. He was just 12 at the time, and he clearly remembered the night when his father came super close to suffering heart failure. “I was this close to being parentless at 12,” Freeman said, breaking down and recounting it too.

That time, Freeman was told by doctors that if he hadn’t gotten his dad on time, he wouldn’t have made it through the night. Frederick still remembered about the time saying, “Freddie actually saved my life that night.” This incident deepened their bond, Freeman had already lost his mother, Rosemary, at the very early age of 10 to cancer. Later, the LA Dodgers asked his father to get fit, and this was when his dad would go on endless practices with him.

Freddie Freeman dedicates his post-season success to his father

Freddie Freeman shocked everyone with his performance and grit this season. Even after painkillers and four hours of pre-game therapy, he made it to the diamond. And then his performance was stellar too, and he became the first player in the history of the sport to hit a walk-off grand slam in a World Series. After his Game 1, epic gameplay, he rushed from the field to hug his dad. He later even credited his dad for everything.

“My swing is because of him; my approach is because of him; I am who I am because of him… I just wanted to share that with him because he’s been there. He’s been through a lot in his life too, and just to have a moment like that, I just wanted to be a part of that with him in that moment,” said Freddie Freeman post-game. But his heroics were not just limited to Game 1.

The Dodgers star made four home runs in the World Series games, etching his name between those November greats. But Freeman doesn’t have his practices with Dad to thank for his form now. Even his grit is all thanks to his dad because he was the one who taught Freeman to not give up and to always show up – it’s a trait he still honors and keeps up with.

Safe to say Freddie Freeman and his dad have a pure, loving, and inspiring bond. Sport truly connects and rigidifies the bond between people, even in this case. Which game of the World Series do you think Freeman performed the best in? Let us know below.