The simple act of kindness by a London REALTOR® that gave a young cancer survivor and Blue Jays fan the time of his life shows how good deeds can inspire others, even sports stars.
When Kevin Kingma, of CENTURY 21 First Canadian Corp. Brokerage, saw on a Blue Jays fan group that Joel Moscato, a 10-year-old diagnosed with Stage-4 Hodgkin’s lymphoma less than a year ago, was hoping to attend his favourite team’s home game in Toronto, he leapt into action.
“I reached out to Joel’s mom Elisa, who had posted just looking for a chance to get two tickets in the 500 level,” says Kingma, who was holding two tickets in a prime spot behind home plate for the game against the Baltimore Orioles. “If I can be part of someone’s great day and help create a lifelong memory, then it can lead to other people helping others, too.”
They made the day a surprise for the boy. Kingma met them at Rogers Centre before the game, where he gave Joel the jersey of his favourite player, Bo Bichette (a popular, heavy-hitting, shortstop with the Jays).
After Kingma and the boy took their seats, Joel held up a sign reading “Hey Bo, I beat cancer like you beat the pitchers.” The sign caught the eye of announcers Buck Martinez and Dan Shulman, the camera crew, and Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. who gifted him a baseball bat, prompting cheers in the crowd as well as on social media.
Joel also received a game ball from Blue Jays manager John Schneider. His experience of a lifetime was rounded out when Blue Jays player Brandon Belt led their group on an impromptu tour of the team’s locker room, including an opportunity to see Bichette’s locker, a big thrill for the boy.
“There was a lot of support by fans at the game,” says Kingma. “While it helped Joel to realize how special the moment was for him, and he just loved it, you could tell that it would become part of everyone else’s good memories, too, and it made me really happy to be part of the whole experience.”
As it turns out, offering Joel that magical ticket wasn’t a one-off event for this REALTOR®. As part of Kingma’s “acts of kindness” philosophy, he tries to find ways to brighten the days of others whenever he can.
In April, Kingma similarly surprised 25-year-old Walmart greeter Nolan with tickets to the London Knights hockey team’s western conference finals because one day the greeter had lifted his spirits when he entered the store. The team and London got behind the surprise and made the experience something Nolan will never forget. “Nolan is a London Knights superfan,” says Kingma who has since become friends with the young man.
Those acts of kindness also happen for complete strangers who cross paths with Kingma. This is something he tries to do regularly. Fans in the upper decks of concerts and sports games have found themselves suddenly moved close to the action. In fact, Kingma plans to surprise a few lucky Shania Twain fans at her London Concert in June as well as someone at a Detroit Tigers baseball game in July, just to brighten their day.
“The way I see it, if you can even just open a door for someone, you’re giving them a little light that you can share, maybe it gives them a smile and changes their day,” says Kingma. “I know that when someone does something kind for me it really lifts me up. My work in real estate now allows me to do some things for others that can maybe inspire others.”
And lifting people up is what Kingma does, in part, because he sees that everyone at some time is struggling in their lives. Beyond his acts of kindness, Kingma also supports and fundraises for many local charities including one of his favourites: the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Thames Valley. These many acts are why Kingma was chosen as a “community hero” in March of 2023 by Community Living London.
“I grew up in a household where it has always been important to give back to the community and my mom (Marie Kingma) has dedicated a good part of her life to helping others,” says Kingma. “When I can give back, it helps to make my day, too. When I see how it can inspire others to do the same, that’s when I know I’m making an even bigger impact.”
