ORGAN TRANSPLANT WAITING LIST. MOST ARE SEEKING KIDNEYS. WELL, THE SAYING GOES THERE’S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL. THAT’S THE TOM HANKS LINE FROM A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN. BUT MAYBE YOU WOULD SHED SOME TEARS IF YOUR FAVORITE MAJOR LEAGUE SQUAD GAVE YOU AN ALL EXPENSE PAID TRIP TO SEE THEM IN SPRING TRAINING? >> I JUST MIGHT. IT’S THE SURPRISE OF A LIFETIME FOR THREE AURORA HEALTH CARE PATIENTS. 12 NEWS MALLORY IS AT AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD. >> AS SNOW COVERED THE PARKING LOT OF AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD TUESDAY, A SPECIAL MOMENT WAS MELTING HEARTS INSIDE THE STADIUM. THESE THREE BOYS FOUND OUT THEY WERE CHOSEN TO GO ON AN ALL EXPENSES PAID TRIP TO SPRING TRAINING IN ARIZONA WITH THE MILWAUKEE BREWERS. >> PITCHER FOR THE MILWAUKEE BREWERS HERE TO TELL YOU, WE’VE GOT A MAJOR SURPRISE COMING YOUR WAY FROM MY TEAM AND OUR FRIENDS AT AURORA HEALTH CARE. >> THE THREE AURORA HEALTH PEDIATRIC PATIENTS FROM KEWAUNEE, JEFFERSON AND MARINETTE COUNTIES HAVE BEEN PITCHED SERIOUS HEALTH CURVEBALLS WITH DIAGNOSES LIKE CANCER AND BRAIN HEMORRHAGES. 13 YEAR OLD ANDERSON CURLS IS FROM IXONIA AND HAS BEEN DEALING WITH CROHN’S DISEASE FOR A YEAR. >> IT’S BEEN UP AND DOWN, DEFINITELY. IT’S BEEN A LOT BETTER LATELY, BUT WHEN IT FIRST WAS DIAGNOSED, IT WAS TERRIBLE. >> NEW MEDICATION HAS ALLOWED ANDERSON TO MANAGE HIS PAIN, BUT CROHN’S IS A DISEASE HE’LL DEAL WITH THE REST OF HIS LIFE. HIS COURAGE TO CONTINUE FIGHTING AND SMILING IS JUST ONE REASON WHY HIS DOCTOR NOMINATED HIM FOR THE TRIP. >> THEIR BRAVERY AND. >> THEIR TENACITY AND THEIR DEDICATION TO GET THROUGH THAT IS BY FAR THE BEST QUALITIES THAT YOU KNOW, WE REALLY LOOK FOR TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS A GREAT CANDIDATE TO BE CONSIDERED, BUT WE WISH WE COULD DO THIS FOR ALL OF OUR PATIENTS. TRULY. >> ON THE VIP TRIP, THE BOYS AND THEIR FAMILIES WILL GET TO MEET THE PLAYERS, PARTICIPATE IN WARM UPS, AND EVEN THROW OUT THE FIRST PITCH AT A SPRING TRAINING GAME AT AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD. MALLORY ANDERSON WISN 12 NEWS.
Brewers surprise Aurora Health Care pediatric patients with trip to spring training
Three young Aurora Health Care patients were surprised at American Family Field with an all-expenses-paid trip to the Milwaukee Brewers’ spring training in Arizona.
Updated: 8:36 PM CST Jan 20, 2026
At American Family Field Tuesday, three young Aurora Health Care patients received the surprise of a lifetime when they learned they would be going on an all-expenses-paid trip to the Milwaukee Brewers’ spring training in Arizona.As snow covered the parking lot, the atmosphere inside the stadium was melting hearts as the boys discovered they were chosen for this special opportunity through a special video featuring several current and former Brewers players. “I’m Quinn Priester, pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, here to tell you we’ve got a major surprise coming your way from my team and our friends at Aurora Health Care,” said Priester in the video. “What do you think about ditching the cold Midwest winter and trading it for sunny Arizona where your favorite team in baseball takes part in spring training?”The three pediatric patients, hailing from Kewaunee, Jefferson, and Marinette counties, have faced serious health challenges, including cancer and brain hemorrhages. Among them is 13-year-old Andersen Kerls from Ixonia, who has been dealing with Crohn’s disease for a year. “It’s been up and down, definitely. It’s been a lot better lately, but when I first was diagnosed, it was terrible,” Kerls said. While new medication has helped him manage his pain and find foods he can eat again, Crohn’s is a disease he’ll deal with the rest of his life. Kerls’ courage to continue fighting and smiling is just one reason why his doctor nominated him for the trip.”Their bravery, their tenacity, and their dedication to get through, that is by far the best qualities that we really look for when saying, ‘Hey, this is a great candidate to be considered,'” said Dr. Kevin Dahlman, medical director of Aurora Children’s Health. “But we wish we could do this for all of our patients. Truly.”During the VIP trip in February, the boys and their families will meet Brewers players, participate in warmups, and even throw out the first pitch at a game. This is the fifth year Aurora Health Care and the Milwaukee Brewers have teamed up for the surprise trip. Top HeadlinesMother in ICU after throwing daughter out of burning apartmentMilwaukee native scores touchdown in College Football Playoff title gameMilwaukee woman killed after bullet flies into home; family seeking answersWATCH Milwaukee’s northwest side faces another grocery store closure as Sentry shuts down
MILWAUKEE —
At American Family Field Tuesday, three young Aurora Health Care patients received the surprise of a lifetime when they learned they would be going on an all-expenses-paid trip to the Milwaukee Brewers’ spring training in Arizona.
As snow covered the parking lot, the atmosphere inside the stadium was melting hearts as the boys discovered they were chosen for this special opportunity through a special video featuring several current and former Brewers players.
“I’m Quinn Priester, pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, here to tell you we’ve got a major surprise coming your way from my team and our friends at Aurora Health Care,” said Priester in the video. “What do you think about ditching the cold Midwest winter and trading it for sunny Arizona where your favorite team in baseball takes part in spring training?”
The three pediatric patients, hailing from Kewaunee, Jefferson, and Marinette counties, have faced serious health challenges, including cancer and brain hemorrhages. Among them is 13-year-old Andersen Kerls from Ixonia, who has been dealing with Crohn’s disease for a year.
“It’s been up and down, definitely. It’s been a lot better lately, but when I first was diagnosed, it was terrible,” Kerls said.
While new medication has helped him manage his pain and find foods he can eat again, Crohn’s is a disease he’ll deal with the rest of his life. Kerls’ courage to continue fighting and smiling is just one reason why his doctor nominated him for the trip.
“Their bravery, their tenacity, and their dedication to get through, that is by far the best qualities that we really look for when saying, ‘Hey, this is a great candidate to be considered,'” said Dr. Kevin Dahlman, medical director of Aurora Children’s Health. “But we wish we could do this for all of our patients. Truly.”
During the VIP trip in February, the boys and their families will meet Brewers players, participate in warmups, and even throw out the first pitch at a game.
This is the fifth year Aurora Health Care and the Milwaukee Brewers have teamed up for the surprise trip.
Top Headlines
WATCH Milwaukee’s northwest side faces another grocery store closure as Sentry shuts down