After the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays faced off against each other at the 2025 World Series, fans of the Canadian baseball team have donated nearly $75,000 to a pediatric hospital in Toronto in honor of Dodgers player Alex Vesia‘s family.
The Hospital for Sick Children, also known as “SickKids,” initially reported they reviewed $30,000 in donations, according to the Toronto Star. However, the number has grown and was most recently reported to be nearly $75,000.
Additionally, the hospital revealed they received money from more than 1,000 donors based in the United States, who shared kind messages about the Blue Jays. Several of the donors made $51 donations as a nod to Alex, 29, and his uniform number.
The donations came pouring in after Alex revealed that he and his wife Kayla Vesia’s newborn daughter, Sterling, died on October 26. Her death took place just two days after the Dodgers and Blue Jays began playing against each other in the World Series on October 24. Alex stepped away from the games to be with Kayla.
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“Our little angel we love you forever & you’re with us always,” the Vesias shared via Instagram on November 7. “Our beautiful daughter went to heaven Sunday October 26th. There are no words to describe the pain we’re going through but we hold her in our hearts and cherish every second we had with her.
The couple continued, “Thank you to the Dodgers for their understanding and support during this time. Our baseball family showed up for us and we wouldn’t be able to do this without them.”
During the World Series, many of the Blue Jays relievers paid tribute to the Vesia family by wearing Alex’s No. 51 on the side of their caps. Several members of the Dodgers organization acknowledged the Blue Jays fans support for the Vesias, including manager Dave Roberts.
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“It’s everything,” Roberts said before Game 7 on November 1, according to ABC 7. “I didn’t learn that until after the game last night. I think it really speaks to the brotherhood of athletes… It just speaks to how much respect and love they have for one another. It’s a huge, huge tribute to Alex.”
Meanwhile, Dodgers outfielder Kiké Hernández said he first noticed the tribute when he saw the number written on Chris Bassitt‘s cap.
“I was looking up at the board to see the replay, and that’s when I saw that he had 51,” Hernández, 34, said. “Instead of being mad that I struck out, I was kind of going back to the dugout thinking ‘Did Bassitt play with Vesia at some point?’ And then after the game, I saw that everybody had them. For those guys to do that, it’s incredible. They’re trying to win a World Series, but they understand that life is bigger than baseball, and baseball’s just a game.”
