Joey Votto is a lot of things. He’s this generation’s greatest hitter. He’s a prankster that dresses up in Canadian Mountie outfits and presents teammates with donkeys; to opposing fans, he’s a villain. But there’s also a charitable side the public rarely sees, yet one on full display on Thursday afternoon.
The story of Walter “Superbubz” Herbert, a six-year-old diagnosed with Stage 4 neuroblastoma, has recently captured the heart of Cincinnati. In the past month, Herbert and his family were given the news that he had just weeks to live. Instead of spending his final days in a hospital, Herbert returned home to try and experience as many adventures — such as meeting Batman to riding in a police helicopter — as possible. Herbert’s latest escapade was a visit to Great American Ballpark for a Mets-Reds game, where he met Votto in the clubhouse.
Herbert and his family took in the contest right behind home plate, getting a front-row seat to Votto’s extraordinary gesture in the seventh inning. The former MVP took Jeurys Familia deep to right for a home run, celebrating and commemorating the moment with Herbert afterwards:
The Cincinnati Enquirer’s C. Trent Rosecrans said Votto declined to speak on the matter after the game, citing it as a personal and emotional moment.
In Votto’s defense, he didn’t need to comment. His actions speak louder than words ever possibly could.