Brett Phillips Tells One Of His Biggest Fans, A Girl Battling Cancer, She's An Inspiration

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — An 8-year-old girl battling cancer for the second time brought luck to her favorite Tampa Bay Rays player, Brett Phillips, on Tuesday night. He hit a home run after she gave him her wristband.

Chloe Grimes, a St. Pete native and dressed in her Rays' uniform, threw out the first pitch with her cannon of an arm to Phillips as he caught the ball with his glove, reports said.

Grimes' wish of meeting Brett Phillips, an outfielder, came true via the Children's Dream Fund in St. Petersburg.

Following the pitch, she reached into her back pocket and gave Phillips her wristband. He told her it would bring him good luck. He wore the wristband throughout the game, and when he hit a home run, he was unaware that at the exact moment Grimes was being interviewed on-air by Bally Sports about her experience pitching to Phillips.

The reporter said, "Chloe, do you know what just happened....?"

"Brett Phillips just hit a home run," Grimes said into the microphone.

The reporter brought Grimes' interview to Phillips' attention during the post-game interview.

"Brett, you were not aware of it at the moment, but you were part of a very magical moment," the reporter said.

She asked how he felt about the luck Grimes' wristband brought him.

A Major League Baseball video of the interview showed Phillips at a loss for words.

"I had a chance to meet Chloe for the first time, and she's battling cancer, and she brought me these gifts."

He held a bright, yellow softball on which Grimes had written his name.

"Chloe, you're an inspiration. Like holy cow. I think that's the farthest — hardest ball I've hit in my career," Phillips said. "And I'm praying for you guys. It's just unbelievable what they're going through. You know, I hope I can meet Chloe again in the future. Just what an inspiration — the energy she brought ... again, I'm praying for you Chloe and for your family. You're really cool, and that homer was for you."

Phillips agreed with the reporter that Grimes has a cannon of an arm.

Still emotional toward the end of the interview, Phillips said, "Perspective. For me, each and every day, it just puts my career in perspective on how I come out here every day and treat everyone with love and respect."

The Rays won Tuesday night's game against the Oakland A's, 9-8.

To see the home run and the Bally Sports interview with Grimes and Phillips, visit Major League Baseball.