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Key Points Freddie Freeman hit two walk-off World Series home runs, a unique MLB achievement. His youngest son Maximus battled Guillain-Barré syndrome and is now steadily recovering. Freeman revealed, "I would gladly strike out...than see that again. But he’s on his way." Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman is a World Series home run legend and a legendary dad, too. He and wife Chelsea Freeman were devastated when their son Maximus was diagnosed with a rare neurological illness and had to be hospitalized last year. Max almost died during the health crisis, but ultimately pulled through. Freddie went on to hit a walk-off grand slam home run when the Dodgers faced off against the Yankees in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series. Propelled by Freeman’s performance, the Dodgers went on to win the championship. This season, Freeman led the Dodgers to another World Series and they’re currently down one game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Freeman was Game 3’s hero, making history with a walk-off solo home run to clinch the Dodgers win. Freeman’s feat made him the only MLB player to ever hit two walk-off home runs during a World Series. 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 In March, Chelsea revealed that Maximus was making steady progress in his recovery, and earlier this month, Freddie’s aunt gave Parade.com a heartwarming health update on the boy. Read on to find out more! Who is Freddie Freeman? Frederick Charles Freeman, 36, was born Sept. 12, 1989 in Fountain Valley, California. His parents are Canadian, so Freeman has citizenship in Canada and the U.S. In 2010, he made his MLB debut with the Atlanta Braves and played there for 12 seasons. After winning the 2021 World Series, Freeman signed a six-year, $162 million contract with the Dodgers. Related: How to Watch the 2025 World Series for Free Who is Freddie Freeman’s wife? Chelsea, 34, born Chelsea Marie Goff on April 24, 1991, was raised in Florida. Freddie and Chelsea began dating in June 2011, while Chelsea was in college at the University of Central Florida. Chelsea graduated in 2013 and the couple got engaged in January 2014. They married on Nov. 22, 2014, at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort in Miami Beach. While planning for the wedding, Chelsea was featured in Season 8, Episode 15 of Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta, where she gushed about her future husband. “He is just a great person,” she shared on the show. “We’ve been together for almost three and a half years and he still opens my car door for me!” In addition to being a mom, Chelsea is a hard-working entrepreneur. In 2021, she launched the Chelsea Freeman Collection, an online boutique that specializes in unique MLB-licensed merch. Related: Who Is Clayton Kershaw’s Wife? Meet Ellen Kershaw as Dodgers Star Hits 3,000 Strikeouts How many kids does Freddie Freeman have? Chelsea and Freddie have three sons: Frederick Charles Freeman II, nicknamed Charlie, who was born on Sept. 15, 2016; Brandon, born Dec. 20, 2020 and Maximus, born Feb. 14, 2021. Related: Dodgers Hero Freddie Freeman Reveals His Son Is a Bad Bunny Fan on Travis Kelce’s Podcast Why do Freddie and Chelsea Freeman call Brandon and Max their twins with a twist? Chelsea shared that she faced fertility issues after giving birth to first son Charlie via emergency C-section. Because of this, the Freemans decided to use a surrogate to have their second child, but right around the same time, Chelsea ended up getting pregnant! Freddie and Chelsea have not shared which son was born via surrogate, and the adorable boys are just two months apart in age. Related: Who Is LA Dodgers Pitcher Alex Vesia? Who is Maximus Freeman? Maximus Turner Freeman is Freddie and Chelsea’s youngest child and is now four years old. What illness does Maximus Freeman have? Maximus has a severe case of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a rare condition in which the body’s immune system attacks its nerves, causing weakness, numbness and paralysis. Maximus woke up on July 22, 2024, with a slight limp. A few days later, he went into full body paralysis and was rushed to the emergency room. According to Chelsea, doctors had to reinforce his lungs with a ventilator and he was diagnosed with GBS. His parents feared the worst, but their brave son pulled through. After spending eight days in a pediatric intensive care unit, they welcomed him home. Since then, Maximus has been in physical therapy to regain his strength and relearn basic functions. Freddie and Chelsea opened up about the harrowing ordeal in this Instagram post. Oops! We’re unable to load this content right now. View directly on Instagram How is Maximus Freeman’s recovery going? In March 2025, Chelsea shared that Maximus is progressing well. In fact, his neurologist said that he’s “80% recovered” and “had reflexes in both his knees and feet for the first time.” Chelsea also revealed that that Maximus was finally above his pre-illness weight and was regaining his strength. “Life has slowly started to feel more normal,” Chelsea wrote. Related: Michael Mizrachi Compares His Historic Poker Run to Shohei Ohtani’s Feats: ‘You’ll Never See It Again’ (Exclusive) What has Freddie Freeman said about his son’s health? During a August 2024 media session, Freddie opened up about the medical crisis. “He’s got to learn how to do pretty much everything,” he said. “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.” He added, “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. It’s going to be a long road.” Related: Inside the Parade Vault: Our Favorite Baseball Covers Who is Freddie Freeman’s aunt on The Golden Bachelor? We ran into Freddie Freeman’s aunt—Carol Freeman-Branstine—backstage at “The Women Tell All” taping of The Golden Bachelor. (She was a contestant on Season 2.) When we asked about Max, she revealed, “He’s about 85% there.” That’s amazing progress! Carol, a family manager for the Freemans, got emotional as she recalled Freddie and Chelsea’s heart-wrenching battle. “That was tough,” she said. “They almost lost him. It was a scary year last year. For the Freeman family, it was a roller coaster.” Tonight, the Dodgers face World Series elimination in Toronto, but no matter what happens, Freddie and his family couldn’t be more grateful that their youngest son is on the road to recovery.
