Dodgers fans gave Freddie Freeman, whose son Maximus was in the hospital with Guillain-Barre syndrome, a standing ovation.

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman made his return to the baseball diamond after over a week away, as he’d been with his family since July 25. The reason for Freeman’s departure had, at one point, remained a mystery, but the baseball star and his wife revealed their three-year-old son, Maximus, was dealing with serious health struggles.

“These have been the hardest and scariest days of our lives. Maximus is such a special boy and he has been fighting SO hard. This is going to be a journey to recover, but we have faith that he will be completely healed,” Chelsea Freeman wrote on social media.

Maximus was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, which per the Mayo Clinic is a condition in which the immune system attacks the nerves. The young boy had been in fully-body paralysis and was taken to the hospital to have his lungs reinforced.

The Freeman’s brought Maximus home on Monday, thus allowing Freddie to make his Dodgers return.

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Los Angeles Dodgers, fans honor Freddie Freeman’s son Maximus

Dodgers players and staff wore t-shirts in solidarity with the Freeman family on Monday which read #MaxStrong. Freeman admitted after the game that was the first of many moments which made him emotional Monday night. However, he couldn’t help but think of Max and all the other struggling children he met in the ICU over the last week-plus.

“He didn’t deserve this,” Freeman said, per ESPN. “No one deserves this, anybody who goes through this. It’s not just my family. We were going every night, and every room is filled in the [pediatric ICU]. And that is heartbreaking. So many families are going through things like this. We’re one of the lucky ones that got Guillain-Barré that he might have a full recovery. There are kids out there who are fighting for their lives right now. It just puts everything in perspective.”

Freeman went 1-for-4 in his return, striking out twice in a Dodgers win over the Phillies. The stats didn’t matter, and neither did the final result, albeit a positive one for Los Angeles and all fans in attendance on a night Freddie and his family will never forget. Freeman’s dad and stepmom were in attendance in the front row.

“I know Dodger fans don’t like this, but I would gladly strike out with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 7 of the World Series 300 million times in a row than see that again. But he’s on his way. He’s on his way. It’s going to be a long road,” Freeman said about his experience.

As for Max, his road to recovery begins now. His personality is back, per his father, but he’s got to relearn “how to do pretty much everything,” per Freeman. He’s also one of the lucky ones who make it out of the ICU in the first place.