On the same day the Orioles announced Mo Gaba was elected into their Hall-of-Fame, the city of Baltimore mourned the loss of the local celebrity. A beloved Baltimore sports fan, Gaba died Tuesday night at the age of 14.
Known as Lil’ Mo, Gaba was in the middle of his fourth bout with cancer. Having lost his vision at just nine months old, it’s estimated that Lil’ Mo spent 75% of his life in the hospital, but his spirit never wavered.
During the last five years, Lil’ Mo became a regular caller into Baltimore sports radio station 105.7 The Fan, where his enthusiasm, laugh and wit quickly won over the hosts and listeners. Gaba’s toughness, resiliency and positive outlook served as an inspiration to everyone he met.
In 2019, he announced the Ravens fourth round pick of the NFL Draft, the first person to read a draft selection from a card written in Braille. When he graduated eighth-grade last month, police closed the street so hundreds of people could drive by to show Lil’ Mo and his family support, including Trey Mancini of the Orioles and Bradley Bozeman of the Ravens.
Just a few weeks ago, 105.7 The Fan evening host Jeremy Conn joined Gaba for The Big Mo Show. Scheduled as a live show from 6 – 9pm on a Thursday night, Conn and Gaba took the program into its fifth hour where the lines remained full of callers unified in their genuine love for Lil’ Mo. Much like during his radio show, the tributes again poured in last night as people showed the love they have for Gaba, a hero, friend and inspiration.
Brandon Contes is a former reporter for BSM, now working for Awful Announcing. You can find him on Twitter @BrandonContes or reach him by email at Brandon.Contes@gmail.com.
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