Freddie Freeman, the golden face of MLB, is used to the spotlight and the cheers of thousands of fans. But no crowd can fill the void left by his mother’s death. In a recent interview, Freeman could not hold back tears when talking about the woman who gave birth to and raised him.

“My mother is my pillar. She is the first person I think of when I am happy, and also the first person I go to when I am disappointed. Now, without her, I feel lost, like I have lost my own direction,” he shared, his voice choking up between moments of painful silence.

Memories of his mother, from the days when he was a boy running around in the backyard to when he stepped into the Major League, have always been a source of inspiration for Freeman to move forward. “My mother always believed in me when I doubted myself,” he said, his eyes red and distant, “now I just want to live up to her love and belief.”

Fans on social media were quick to express their sympathy: from comforting messages to tribute posts, everyone felt the great loss Freeman was suffering. Many fans called the moment “a real moment that showed the man behind the legend on the field.”

Freddie Freeman has been through many challenges in his career, from fierce matches to injuries that forced him to temporarily leave the field. But the loss of his mother, he admitted, was incomparably painful. And even though he will continue to play, every pitch, every at-bat now has her image in his mind.

“Every time I step on the field, I will take her with me. She will always be my motivation, my silent guide, and the reason I never give up,” Freeman concluded, his voice quiet but full of determination, leaving the listener with an indelible emotion.