Blake Rockwell

“These kids are fighting a monster,” Blake Rockwell says, his strong baritone voice cracking.

He’s a strong man, Midwestern bred and toughened by New York City, but after nearly an hourlong conversation about his organization, he’s on the verge of tears. “They can’t fight it alone,” Rockwell continues. “Their parents can’t fight it alone. And we’re there to do whatever we can to help them fight.”

You can hear that moment at 16:42 in what we feel is one of our most powerful episodes to date. Or you can just dive in from the beginning and get the full story on Blake and Special Spectators.

The nonprofit is dedicated to brightening the day for seriously ill kids by providing them with a VIP sport experience like no other.

Why do sports matter to child who may be fighting for their life? Because people often forget that kids battling serious disease are still kids. They have interests, dreams and passions — including sports. Especially sports. In fact, the idea for Special Spectators first came to Blake while he was volunteering at a children’s hospital.

“They were so passionate about sports, more so than many healthy kids that I knew,” Rockwell recalls. “[What] really caught me off guard is that very few of these kids had ever been to a game, and I thought that that was just nuts. That was crazy. It would be so easy to not just take kids to a game, but really make them a part of the game and give them an opportunity to share some laughs with their family, with everything that they’re dealing with behind them, and just give them a day that they would never ever forget.”

In this episode, you’ll discover what one of those unforgettable days is like with Terry, an Alabama dad whose boy was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. Join us for a game day experience that is truly special indeed.