Chicago – In a recent interview, Anthony Rizzo – the Chicago Cubs icon and now the team’s official ambassador – broke down in tears as he recounted his journey of surviving the cancer that nearly took his career and his life.
Rizzo was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2008, when he was 18 years old and in the Boston Red Sox training system. “I was just a kid with dreams of becoming an MLB player. Then one day the doctor told me I had cancer. Everything fell apart,” he recalled. “At that time, I didn’t know if I would ever touch a ball again.”
After nearly a year of painful chemotherapy treatments, Rizzo made a full recovery and returned to the field – beginning an extraordinary journey that would make him one of the greatest spiritual leaders in Cubs history. He joined the team in 2012, became the heart of the locker room, and helped the Cubs end a “108-year curse” by winning the World Series in 2016.
“People see the moments of victory on TV,” Rizzo said through tears, “but what few know is that behind that smile are sleepless nights, chemotherapy sessions, and the fear of not being able to return to the field. I play for those who don’t have the same opportunity as me.”
Rizzo said his near-death experience shaped his philosophy of life – seeing baseball as a gift, not an obligation. “Every swing, every pitch, every cheer – it’s all a miracle,” he said. “To be the Cubs ambassador today, I had to go through a lot of hardships. But because of that, I understand that the true value of this jersey is not the logo, but the people and beliefs behind it.”
Since his recovery, Rizzo has founded The Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation, a nonprofit that supports pediatric cancer patients and their families. The foundation has donated more than $13 million to hospitals in Chicago and Florida and directly funded hundreds of treatments. He still visits patients in Cubs gear, signing balls and telling them about his days with chemotherapy in his arms.
His former teammate Kris Bryant said:
“Rizzo was more than just a teammate. He was a symbol of courage. When he cried on TV today, I think all of Chicago cried with him.”
Rizzo continues to serve as an honorary ambassador for the Chicago Cubs, overseeing community and youth programs. If there was one thing he wanted to say to the new generation of players, he said, it would be:
“Play with your heart. Because in the end, it’s not about winning the trophy – it’s about who you become after all the losses.”
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