Boy battling cancer receives a surprise from a Houston Astros player

NAVASOTA, Texas (KBTX) – A Navasota boy battling cancer got an exciting surprise from a Houston Astros player on Thursday.

That boy is 5-year-old Braxton Castillo. He enjoys going to the playground and playing with his race cars, but the thing Braxton loves the most is baseball. Every day he practices in his backyard with the dream of one day going to the big leagues. As for Braxton’s favorite team, he said it’s the Houston Astros.

Braxton has been battling leukemia since October of last year. His mother, Riley Castillo, said Braxton was your normal, healthy kid until he developed shoulder pain and eventually had trouble getting into the car.

“I just knew somethings not right,” Riley said. “We went for another set of X-rays at Baylor Scott & White in College Station. At first, they thought it was osteomyelitis which is a bone infection, so they sent us to Texas Children’s in the Woodlands and that’s where he was diagnosed.”

Since then Riley said it has been a roller coaster, but it’s a good thing Braxton fights as big as dreams.

“He’s been a trooper and we always say that Braxton was the best possible person to get this because of his attitude and he’s always positive,” Riley said. “I could be in the worst mood or sad about something, he’s like Mom it’s going to be ok. He holds the glue together even though we should be holding him together.”

Riley said lately, it has been draining and they were unsure if Braxton would even be able to start kindergarten this year. Despite the challenges, a gift from Houston Astros Play Alex Bregman was able to put a smile on all their faces.

Inside the box was a pair of Alex Bregman socks, a card from the Bregman’s family, a Houston Astros blanket and Braxton’s favorite gift a signed baseball “because it has the world series on it,” Braxton said.

“He’s had some low levels the past few weeks on top of normal kindergarten kid tiredness it’s just been a lot for him, but he loves it,” Riley said. “The day we received the package he was actually at home sick, so it came at the perfect time and it was just a huge blessing.”

Earlier this year Braxton met Bregman at a baseball game after a neighbor helped them get tickets through the Astros’ Foundation to celebrate his fifth birthday, Riley said. Bregman even signed one of Braxton’s baseballs and his sign.

“A few days later I got around to posting the pictures on Instagram and of course, I tagged him and his wife Regan,” Riley said. “To my surprise, his wife reached out to me on Instagram. That was back in June. Then last week she said ‘Alex, Knox, and I sent Braxton a surprise in the mail this week.’”

Riley said the amount of support their family has received is overwhelming and mind-blowing.

“For her to randomly reach out months later shows she was still thinking about him,” Riley said. “We’ve received so much support from our family and friends and just the community of Navasota, his teachers, but to get it from the Astros is wild. We’re sports people so it’s like a dream come true for all of us.”

While it has been long journey Braxton is expected to be cancer-free by December 31 of next year and most of his treatments are already being done at home.

“Just keep him in your thoughts. He’s such a strong little boy,” Riley said. “He’s so giving and caring and that’s the best way anyone can help us right now is to pray for his health and our health. To keep him healthy and a normal five-year-old boy is all we want.”

His family hopes Braxton will be healthy enough to sign up for T-ball in Grimes County this spring.