GMA surprises local baseball coach with tickets to see the Phillies in the World Series
Juan Namnun says the Phillies have sustained him through his battle with cancer.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Good Morning America was in Philadelphia on Friday morning to surprise a very deserving family of Phillies super fans with World Series tickets.
It's safe to say Frankford High School head baseball coach Juan Namnun was stunned.
"You're currently on Good Morning America, live television right now," GMA reporter Will Reeve informed Namnun after bursting into the school gymnasium.
"So we're not practicing today?" Juan asked.
"No you're not practicing today," answered Reeve.
Reeve continued, "And by the way, it sounds like you might want to go to Game 4 of the World Series?"
"No way. No way!!!" exclaimed Namnun.
Juan and his wife Lena, who is a social studies teacher, have taught at Frankford High for more than two decades. It's also where these two high school sweethearts met.
"We were little freshmen running around this building when I thought she was kind of cute, and she thought I was kind of cute," laughed Juan.
The pair are now proud parents of three boys, and all five family members are huge Phillies fans.
"Our youngest son was 6 months old, and we were watching the last parade, and I was holding him through the last parade. So baseball and the Phillies have just been at the center of our whole family," explained Lena.
It's been a challenging time.
Juan is on medical leave this fall while he is treated for breast cancer.
The Phillies have fueled him.
"When you can have three or four hours every night and forget what's happening to you, and just concentrate on the amazing energy that the Phillies have brought our city and myself included- it's been a drug that I can't explain," Juan said.
Reeve told 6abc, "When we heard his story about the fight that he is going through, we figured, 'Hey - Phillies are in the World Series, this guy's a baseball coach, he loves GMA, we love him. Let's send him to 'Stand Up to Cancer' night'."
Juan and Lena will be at Citizens Bank Park with their three boys.
As always this school community will be cheering on the Phillies and cheering on Juan, whose heart so inspires them.
"It makes me want to get out there, it makes the kids want to get out there, it definitely inspires the team," said assistant baseball coach David Gavigan.
"Having breast cancer has been hard," said Juan. "To know that people care about you, it's really special."
