Lindenhurst Boy Fulfills Dream Of Playing With Lacrosse Team

LINDENHURST, NY - After dealing with a lot of hardship, one Lindenhurst boy got to live out his dream this summer.

Mason Batz, 13, has battled leukemia since he was 6 years old/ He was first diagnosed in 2011 on a vacation with his family, according to his father, Michael Batz.

"He just had a mild fever for about three days and my wife, being a nurse, had a motherly instinct said that she wanted blood work taken," Batz, a member of the Lindenhurst Fire Department said.

The family then took Mason to the pediatrician, who sent them to Winthrop Hospital, where Mason was diagnosed that same night with leukemia.

After that, Mason went through treatment which included undergoing chemo for the next three years.

He's currently in recovery.

"He's doing great," Michael said. "Overall, he's just a great kid. He never used this whole thing as an excuse. He's a strong kid."

Following his treatment, the Batz became involved with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society about two years ago.

At one point, Mason asked the organization to be named "boy of the year" in order to motivate people to raise funds for the non-profit.

Through that, the lacrosse team the New York Lizards learned of Mason's story and reached out to the family to if he would like to become an honorary member of the team.

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society help to put together the special event as part of their "Random Act of Light" Program to allow Mason to sign a contract with the team and play with Lizards team member Drew Adams.

Mason was also presented with a team jersey with his name on it.

"He's pretty new to lacrosse but he loves sports overall so this is definitely going to take off from here," his father, "He's going to want to come to all the games after this."

Before the event, Mason stated that he was "very excited" to be a part of the event. While he admitted to never playing lacrosse before, he did say he was a soccer fan.

"We have welcomed a lot of team members over the years but none as special as Mason," Adams said. "We're excited to have him. I think he'll fit right in with the guys."

Afterwards, Mason and his 11-year-old sister, Cameron Batz, went to the field to play some lacrosse with Adams.

The family have the Lindenhurst community to thank for their support during Mason's treatment.

About 4 days after Mason was diagnosed, the members of the Lindenhurst fire department surprised the family by shaving their head in solidarity. In addition, they also gifted Mason with a Wii video game system and over 40 games to keep him entertained during his treatment.

The family has also given back to the community as well. The Batzs host an annual lemonade stand to raise money for other families of children with cancer. The first year they raised $2,200 and the second year they raised over $6,200.