The Huerta family talks about why this special gift from the San Antonio Spurs means so much.
The San Antonio Spurs surprised a north-side family Wednesday morning with tickets to Game 1 of the NBA Finals, giving them a rare night together amid a difficult medical journey.
Richard and Lauren Huerta, both educators with Northside ISD, were told to report to the Frost Bank Center earlier in the day to talk about their love for Spurs basketball. Once there, they were gifted tickets to the game.
The surprise came during an especially challenging time for the family. Their 4-month-old son, Leo, is currently hospitalized with a heart defect and has undergone multiple surgeries, including one last week.
“Our normal day was going to just be here at the hospital,” Lauren Huerta said. “It was definitely a surprise.”
The couple said their family is often split, with one parent at the hospital and the other at home with their two older children. The tickets allowed all of them to attend the game together.
“We haven’t had a lot of moments of family time,” she said. “So to take our kids on something that’s really special — they’re so excited about it.”
Leo remains in the hospital with no timeline for discharge, the family said. They added they believe the Spurs will win Game 1 “for Leo.”