MILWAUKEE, Wis. — A huge part of Bob Uecker's legacy was his work off the field. One organization near and dear to his heart is Make-A-Wish Wisconsin.
For Uecker, it was a personal mission to give back.
"I met Bob right when I started because Bob hosted the 'Bob Uecker Great Lakes Fishing Invitational,' and it was a fundraiser, a big fishing tournament," Patti Gorsky said.
Gorsky is the president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Wisconsin.
Over the last 25 years, Gorsky said she’s seen firsthand the impact Uecker made on Wish Kids.
"Whether it was in the broadcast booth, or he'd meet them down in the dugout, or whatever it was, he'd always be dragging baseball players and coaches, saying, 'Come meet this kid,' 'Meet this Wish Kid.' It was always like a three-ring circus party going on," Gorsky explained.
It wasn’t just local kids Uecker had an impact on.
"Bob transcended everything. The American Dream of Americana and baseball. I mean, he was Mr. Baseball, so it wasn't just for Milwaukee and Wisconsin, it was national as well. Kids from all over the country came in, and they'd say, 'What do you wanna wish for?' 'I'd wanna wish for meeting Bob Uecker and the Milwaukee Brewers,' and they made it happen. Bob made it happen," Gorsky said.
The country is now mourning the loss of a legend who, over the course of two decades, donated and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Make-A-Wish.
Watch: Mr. Baseball's philanthropic impact on Make-A-Wish Wisconsin kids
"You feel like crying just because, I mean, he was 90 years old, he lived a good life, but when you think of that chapter closing, it's sad because his legacy was rich, deep, and powerful. It was personal for him. This wasn't just writing a check and sending it out, this was, 'I'll pour myself into it, and I'll make kids laugh, and smile, and have magic and memories.' It doesn’t get more powerful than that," Gorsky added.
Gorsky said Uecker was one of Make-A-Wish Wisconsin's largest donors. His name and his foundation remain on the wall inside their building.
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