chicago proud

Sofia Sanchez, heart transplant recipient visited by Drake, throws first pitch at softball game

ByCate Cauguiran WLS logo

Sunday, October 21, 2018

Sofia Sanchez, heart transplant recipient visited by Drake, throws first pitch at softball game

Sofia Sanchez was out and about after weeks of recovery, throwing the first pitch at a softball tournament held in her honor.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- An 11-year-old Downers Grove girl captured hearts this summer when rapper Drake visited her in the hospital while she waited for a life-saving heart transplant.

On Saturday, Sofia Sanchez was out and about after weeks of recovery, throwing the first pitch at a softball tournament held in her honor.

"Since I was in the bed in the hospital for a while it feels good to stretch again," Sanchez said.

"I was crying happy tears just to see her out there and be able to move around with the other girls and look so healthy," said mom Natalie Sanchez.

The softball tournament raised money for their family.

"The whole community has been supportive and gotten involved and selling raffle tickets and donating towards the raffle, selling t-shirts," said Missi Waitz, of the Downers Grove Rebels.

T-Shirts read "Swing for Sofia."

This summer, Sofia posted a video on social media asking for two presents for her 11th birthday -- a new heart... and a chance to meet her favorite rapper, Drake.

She ended up getting both and a since her recovery has hit the ground running!

"I feel happy and I want to say thank you to everybody for giving me all the support that I want because it helped me through a lot of it," Sofia said.

"It's just incredible. Yes, compared to all the stuff she was hooked up to and how fragile she was. It was hard to even cuddle with her and now I can pick her up, throw her around, we can wrestle, everything," mom said.

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