Mo Gaba

Mo Gaba was raised in Glen Burnie, Maryland. His first diagnosis of cancer occurred at the age of 9 months. He became blind soon-thereafter.[2] After two diagnoses of retinoblastoma, he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at the age of 6.[3] Gaba had to leave on-site classes at George Cromwell Elementary and attend virtual school from the hospital after his bone cancer diagnosis.[4][3]

He graduated from middle school in June 2020 by which point, he had spent 75% of his life in hospitals.[2]

In 2015, Gaba began secretly calling in to sports radio while his mother was at work.[2] She learned of his calls after receiving an invitation from the radio hosts, written in Braille, to speak at Gaba's school.[2] Gaba became a regular guest on radio programs.[2] He generated a following from his calls to 105.7 The Fan and Mix 106.5. Fundraising efforts by radio listeners raised thousands of dollars after his latest cancer diagnosis. In 2017, he threw a ceremonial first pitch for the Baltimore Orioles during a series against the New York Yankees.[3] Gaba participated in a coin toss at a Baltimore Ravens game.[2] In June 2017, Gaba graduated from elementary school.[4] In 2019, Gaba became the first person to announce an NFL draft pick written in Braille.

Despite aggressive chemotherapy, radiation, operations, and a bone marrow transplant, the cancer metastasized to his neck, legs, brain, and lungs.[2] Hours before his death on July 28, 2020, Gaba was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame as the second recipient of the Wild Bill Hagy award.[5] His Braille draft card is also on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.[6] In 2020, the letters "MO" of Baltimore Ravens in the M&T Bank Stadium endzone were painted a different color in his honor. [7]