Who is Mo Gaba?
Mo Gaba was a Baltimore sports legend without ever seeing a game in his 14 years before passing away in July of 2020. He became a rising star in the community after becoming a frequent caller of 105.7 the Fan in 2015, where we learned of his inspirational story that started at such a young age.
Mo was diagnosed with cancer that left him blind at just over 9 months old. Throughout his life he consistently battled through treatments for retinoblastoma and osteosarcoma but never let go of his positive outlook and infectious laugh. As his celebrity grew, he started to be recognized by the biggest Baltimore stars.
He became close with Baltimore Orioles’ Trey Mancini as they went through chemotherapy together, even including the All-Star 1st Baseman in a special 8th Grade Graduation Parade. During the 2018 NFL Draft, Mo was the first person to ever read an NFL Draft Pick using Braille. He was included in a special feature on ESPN for his ongoing connection with the local teams he loved so much as a fan.
Even after his passing, those teams continue to honor their lost hero including re-naming a local street at Camden Yards and highlighting “Mo” in Baltimore in the end zones at M&T Bank Stadium.
There is no better example of the principles to which the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation has stood for since our inception 44 years ago. As such, in partnership with Mo’s family and close friends, 2022 will mark the inaugural unveiling of the Mo Gaba Courage Award presented by Raymond James.
One child from each of the 27 members of the National Courage House Support Network for Kids will be selected by the program’s staff for their positivity while facing adversity and being an inspiration to their peers. The award winners will receive a commemorative Mo Gaba Courage Award Medallion and a $100 Amazon Gift Card. Each NFL team will help honor these special stories by providing a team experience for the child from their designated Courage House such as training camp visits, game tickets, virtual player interviews and the like. From this, we continue our work to inspire abused, neglected and at-risk youth.
