Growing up in New York, Marvin Wiggins loved baseball so much that he slept with his bat and glove. He played whenever he could and eventually tried out for the New York Mets. Now a resident of A.G. Rhodes in Atlanta, Marvin still has plenty to say about the game he grew up playing.
Second Wind Dreams® Dreams Coordinator Heavyn Brousseau first met Marvin through Gifts of Light®. His singing caught her attention, and she initially thought his Dream might involve music. But during their visits, the conversation turned to baseball. That was where Marvin’s stories were.
Although glaucoma has affected his vision, his love for the game has stayed with him. Second Wind Dreams began planning a Braves experience that he could share with his brother.
Marvin learned about those plans at his surprise Dream Reveal on September 9 at Deep Roots in Roswell. On September 24, the brothers headed to Truist Park, where they watched the Braves from Delta club seats behind home plate.
The staff took care of Marvin throughout the evening, with food, drinks and service at his seat. The Braves arranged for him to meet Blooper, and he received a game ball to take home. Sitting beside his brother, Marvin said the evening reminded him of watching baseball together when they were children.
His story also reached people beyond the ballpark. CBS News Atlanta featured Marvin’s Dream and selected the story for use in the station’s promotional coverage, giving more viewers a chance to meet Marvin and see the work behind his experience.
Several partners helped put the plans into motion. Deep Roots provided the space for the reveal, giving Marvin a place to celebrate before game day. Collin Pennell from National Mobile X-Ray supported the reveal with ice cream and decorations, along with transportation and a replacement for Marvin’s cherished childhood glove. A.G. Rhodes worked with Second Wind Dreams to coordinate his participation, and the Georgia Health Care Association was among the partners supporting the Dream with supplying the tickets!
At Truist Park, the Braves and the Delta club staff carried that care into the evening itself. Their attention meant Marvin could settle into his seat and enjoy the game with his brother.
For someone who once slept with a glove beside him, there was a lot to take home from that night. The game ball was one piece of it. An evening spent watching baseball with his brother was another.
Marvin’s Dream is also a reminder of what makes senior living so special. Across the country, communities are helping residents reconnect with lifelong passions, celebrate personal histories, and create new memories with the people they love. Through moments like these, senior living becomes more than a place to live. It becomes a place where individual stories are honored, relationships are strengthened, and dreams continue to matter. That’s what the #ILoveSeniorLiving movement is all about: celebrating the people, experiences, and connections that make senior living meaningful every day.
Share your #ILoveSeniorLiving story at ILoveSeniorLiving.com and help showcase the moments that make senior living extraordinary.
Watch Marvin’s Dream here: https://youtu.be/xtRidsv3PiM?si=d4cI__gWeHEXQ2dr