WATCH: Lifelong Cubs fan sings National Anthem after raising money for Special Olympics |
CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs' return from a long road trip brought with it a special moment at Wrigley Field on Monday night. With the Cubs taking on the Milwaukee Brewers at home, 30-year-old Cubs fan Stefan Xidas sang the National Anthem before the start of the ballgame.
Xidas has Down syndrome and is an ardent supporter of the Special Olympics. Recently, Xidas took the initiative of fundraising for Special Olympics Illinois using the crowdfunding site GoFundMe. In order to raise awareness for his campaign, Xidas wrote a letter to Cubs owner Tom Ricketts and produced a corresponding YouTube video to go along with it. In his letter, Xidas campaigned for Ricketts to grant him the opportunity to fulfill his longtime goal of singing the Star-Spangled Banner at a Cubs game if $5,000 were raised for the Special Olympics. Of course, Ricketts was happy to oblige, and Xidas was quick to exceed the $5,000 mark. In less than three weeks, Xidas has already raised over $18,000. As a reward for his altruism, Xidas was given the green light to take center stage and sing the National Anthem at Monday's game. Receiving a rousing ovation from the Wrigley faithful for his splendid rendition, Xidas inspired countless onlookers through his heartwarming performance. Stefan Xidas sang the national anthem on #AuthenticFan night, after raising $18,000 for Special Olympics...which will be matched by @Cubs charities. pic.twitter.com/5eazMJxM6f Furthermore, Xidas met with the Cubs' players before the game, posing for photographs and receiving memorabilia to commemorate his accomplishment and celebrate his tried-and-true Cubs fandom.
