It often seems like the world is in a constant fight with itself. There's a lot of anger and sadness, and it can feel like a steady stream of turmoil and unrest.
Sometimes, though, we get to witness incredible acts of humanity. The below athletes have shown exceptional kindness, going the extra mile for their fans.
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest soccer players ever. As a result, he's got fans across the world, big and small. And he gave one of the smallest a memory that will last a lifetime.
As Portugal was boarding its bus to head to the World Cup, some fans gathered nearby. One of the fans, a young boy, was a huge Ronaldo fan, sporting his favorite player's jersey. The boy began crying after realizing the team was already on the bus – he had missed his chance to meet his hero.
Ronaldo wasn't having any of it. He hopped off the bus and said hello to the young fan. He even wiped the tears from his eyes before they took a few photos together. It was an act that took all of 30 seconds, but that kid won't ever forget it.
A young fan thought he'd missed the chance to meet his hero as Portugal departed for the World Cup.
Cristiano stepped off the bus and made sure his dream came true. pic.twitter.com/r3qERFy8Vz
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 11, 2018
From the moment the Heat drafted him in 2003, Dwyane Wade became a Miami hero. By 2013, he was one of the top players in the league. He had already won two championships and was on his way to a third. There was still another assist he had to make before delivering that title, though: taking a high school senior to the prom.
Nicole Muxo was looking forward to prom and graduating from Archbishop Coleman Carroll High School in Miami and asked Wade to prom via a YouTube Video. Earlier in the school year, she had asked Wade to homecoming. He turned her down then, but her persistence paid off. Much like Wade's own personal mantra of "fall down seven, stand up eight," Muxo continued asking the Heat guard to dances until he showed up to one. Wade and the school danced and took pictures throughout the night.
Muxo called it the highlight of her senior year and said it's something she'll remember forever.
NHL defensemen are often the craftiest players on the ice. They have to be in the right positions without giving too much away to the other team. Perhaps it's only fitting that P.K. Subban, then a member of the Montreal Canadiens, took that mindset off the ice, too.
Subban went undercover as a portly security guard named Karl. He accompanied a group of children to the Canadiens training facility.
Subban jokingly commented that it was "a dream come true to screw with people like this." And the look of joy on the kids' faces showed Subban's wasn't the only dream coming true. The defenseman challenged everyone to a game against him, and while they probably didn't emerge victorious, they couldn't have asked for a better day.
Justin Tucker, Dennis Pitta, and Brandon Williams
A ticket to just one NFL game is expensive. Buying them for a whole season is a major commitment. A few members of the Baltimore Ravens wanted to make that commitment all the more special.
Kicker Justin Tucker, tight end Dennis Pitta, and defensive tackle Brandon Williams joined forces with the Ravens marching band to hand-deliver season tickets to lucky fans.
How cool would it be to have players from your favorite team bring tickets right to your door, all while a marching band played in the background? The reaction of the fans says it all.
Joshua Jones was a 19-year-old fighting brain cancer. His family took him out to a Dodgers game, grabbing seats in the front row along the third-base line. During the game, Joshua's father struck up a conversation with Tim Wallach, the Dodgers third base coach. After hearing about the situation, Wallach shared the details with Kemp.
The Dodgers were trailing at the time, but they had just gotten inspired. The team ultimately won the game, with Kemp securing the final out. He wasn't done yet, though.
After the game, Kemp returned to where the family was sitting to hang out. He signed autographs and even gave Joshua the jersey he had worn during the game. Kemp flew the family out for another game later that season, treating them to front row tickets.
Cam Newton is currently a free agent, taking his time before signing with his next team. Back when he was with the Carolina Panthers, the quarterback made a huge play for a young fan.
Newton learned about Elijah Aschbrenner, a 10-year-old boy with terminal cancer. Elijah loved three things: Halloween, the Carolina Panthers, and the Auburn Tigers. And thanks to his family and Newton, he got to combine all three at once.
Elijah's family wasn't sure if he would make it to Halloween, so they threw him a party at the end of September. Newton caught wind of the party and decided to make an appearance. Not only that, but he also brought an ice cream truck to give out treats to all the guests.
Elijah did get to celebrate one last October 31 before dying on November 11, 2015. Newton went on to win MVP and took the Panthers to the Super Bowl that season.
https://twitter.com/darkmastermindz/status/647559123190554624
Roger Federer is arguably the greatest tennis player of all-time, and it turns out he's a great guy, too. 17-year-old Beatriz Tinoco, who had already beaten cancer twice, requested to meet Federer, her idol. Many athletes will grant requests from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, yet Federer took things a step further.
The tennis star flew Beatriz and her family to London to watch him play at Wimbledon. Beatriz also got photographs and autographs and a tour of the facility with Federer and the Chairmen of Wimbledon. Federer also invited Beatriz to play some tennis on the hallowed grounds.
As Beatriz said about that moment: "After his practice he tells me we're gonna hit for a while and Sev says 'but she doesn't have a racquet' and Roger is like 'she can use one of mine' (!!!!!!!)"
You can read Beatriz's full recap of the meeting here – it's bound to make you smile.
