David had Wright stuff

It may be several months before baseball season starts up again, but the Mets were behind some excitement at Schneider Children’s Hospital when third baseman David Wright visited some of its patients on Thursday, January 22.
About 25 children were able to meet Wright, get an autographed hat and take photos with him.
“This is one of my favorite things. I love going to schools, I love going to visit hospitals. I just love kids in general,” said Wright, adding that he has three younger brothers. “I love being around kids, I love interacting with them. I think that I get more joy out of coming visiting these places than the actual kids do, but it’s fun.”
AnneMarie DiFrancesca, the Director of Child Life at the hospital, said that the children were very excited when they found out which Mets player was coming to visit. She said they enjoyed making posters for Wright and that some of the kids, who described themselves as life-long Mets fans, said it was thrilling to meet him.
“I think it’s something that’s truly special for them and it’s a treat,” DiFrancesca said. “It’s something that really almost acts as a motivator to get them up and moving and…out of their bed and gives them that incentive to come out.”
Wright said that he hopes his visit gave the children a chance to smile, have a good time and forget about what’s going on while “talking a little baseball and taking pictures.” He also said that it gives the kids a chance to be able to turn on the television, see him and say that they met him.
DiFrancesca said that, although having the players visit the children’s hospital is not a typical occurrence, “when the players do come it has such a lasting effect for the kids.” She also said that such a visit provides parents with a little bit of relief from the tension of being in a hospital.
While making the day a little brighter for children, these kinds of visits also have an impact on Wright.
“I think the biggest lesson that I can take away from it is that you have to remember baseball’s a game and it doesn’t make a bad day at the baseball field look so bad when you see the smile on these kids faces with what they’re going through,” Wright said.