KANSAS CITY, Mo. — While most of Kansas City hoped for a Royals World Series win in 2015, the Hope family in Lansing wanted a quick recovery for their daughter.
When Brielle Hope was 4 years old, everyone in her family came down with strep throat.
“All of us got better, except for Bri,” said Lisa Hope, Bri's mother and a Kansas City Royals fan.
Lisa Hope said Brielle battled sepsis for 70 days.
Sepsis is a condition in which the body responds improperly to an infection, according to information from the Mayo Clinic.
“We were stuck in her room all day long, and she was comatose or unconscious for most of that time, so we just had the Royals games on all the time,” Lisa Hope said.
Brielle’s room at Children’s Mercy Hospital became the Royals room.
“The nurses, even if they weren't assigned to her, they'd pop in to say hello and check the score and pop out,” Lisa Hope said.
The family's dedication to the team paid off.
Just when the family needed a shot of hope, hospital staff told the family they might want to get their cameras ready for some special visitors.
"Went and got my camera, and a few minutes later, Wade Davis and Jeremy Guthrie came in,” Lisa Hope said.
The Hopes got to talk with the players while they played with Brielle.
And even if just for a moment, the family had hope for brighter days ahead.
“You look for bright spots whenever you can because it's so stressful, and it was just such a nice thing to have somebody come visit and show they cared,” Lisa Hope said.
The long-term effect of Brielle's battle with sepsis is kidney damage, which her family manages.
Now, the Hopes are keeping that same hope alive as they cheer on the Royals once more.
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KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas. Share your story idea with Olivia.
