Mo Gaba facts for kids

Mossila Kingsley Gaba (born January 26, 2006 – died July 28, 2020) was an amazing American superfan of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team and the Ravens football team. He was also a sports radio personality, meaning he talked about sports on the radio!

In 2019, Mo made history. He became the first person ever to announce an NFL draft pick using a card written in Braille. Just before he passed away in July 2020, Mo Gaba was honored by being added to the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame. Mo was a true fighter, battling cancer four different times throughout his life. He spent most of his life, about 75% of it, in hospitals.

Mo's Early Life

Mo Gaba grew up in Glen Burnie, Maryland. When he was only 9 months old, he was first diagnosed with cancer. Sadly, he soon became blind. After fighting two types of eye cancer called retinoblastoma, he was diagnosed with bone cancer, osteosarcoma, when he was 6 years old. Because of his bone cancer, Mo had to leave his regular school, George Cromwell Elementary. Instead, he attended virtual school from the hospital.

Even with all his health challenges, Mo graduated from middle school in June 2020. By this time, he had spent three-quarters of his life receiving medical care in hospitals.

His Voice on the Radio

In 2015, Mo started calling into sports radio shows without his mom knowing! She found out when the radio hosts sent her an invitation, written in Braille, to speak at Mo's school. After that, Mo became a regular and very popular guest on many radio programs. He gained a huge following from his calls to stations like 105.7 The Fan, Mix 106.5, and CBS Sports Radio.

When he faced another cancer diagnosis, his radio listeners raised thousands of dollars to help him. Mo also got to experience some cool sports moments. In 2017, he threw the ceremonial first pitch for the Baltimore Orioles during a game against the New York Yankees. He also participated in a coin toss at a Baltimore Ravens game.

In 2019, Mo Gaba made history again. He was the first person to announce an NFL draft pick using a card written in Braille. This was a very special moment for him and for the NFL.

Mo's Amazing Legacy

Mo Gaba bravely fought his cancer with many treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation, operations, and a bone marrow transplant. Sadly, the cancer spread to other parts of his body.

Just hours before he passed away on July 28, 2020, Mo was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame. He was the second person to receive the Wild Bill Hagy award, a special honor. His Braille draft card is now on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, showing how much he inspired people.

To remember Mo, the letters "MO" in the Baltimore Ravens' endzone at M&T Bank Stadium are painted either gold or white in his honor. This started in 2020.

On July 28, 2022, two years after Mo passed away, the Orioles held the first "Mo Gaba Day." They played against the Tampa Bay Rays and won 3-0! A player named Trey Mancini even hit an inside-the-park home run during that game. Mo Gaba's spirit continues to inspire many.