TEXAS – While many families in South Texas were still unable to bury their loved ones due to the historic floods in early July, a humane act left the community speechless: baseball star Riley Greene stepped in to pay the entire funeral costs for seven young victims who died in the floods.
He didn’t hold a press conference. He didn’t post on Instagram. And he didn’t sign a check in front of the cameras. The story was only revealed when a funeral home employee in Kerrville burst into tears and revealed: “It was all paid for. By a man in a Tigers cap, who came in silence.”
Riley Greene, a junior for the Detroit Tigers, learned about the tragedy through a photo that went viral online — a group of children holding hands before being swept away by the water. He broke down in tears in the locker room, according to close friends, and immediately called local funeral homes, offering to pay for all of the expenses.
“I can’t bring them back, but at least… I can put them to rest in peace,” Riley Greene said in a brief call with the funeral home.
Riley didn’t just pay — he sent each family a handwritten note and a silver necklace engraved with the children’s names and the words:
“You never leave — you just fly first.”
At a funeral in Uvalde, Texas, the parents of a 6-year-old girl burst into tears when they received a box of flowers — inside was an anonymous letter signed only by her jersey number: #31.
The hashtag #RileyForTexas quickly went viral, with thousands calling his actions “the most beautiful comfort in these dark days.”
On Reddit, a comment with 20,000 likes read:
“We don’t need superheroes in capes. We need people like Riley Greene – quietly doing the right thing.”
Last year, Riley Greene anonymously sponsored the entire four-year college tuition for two students orphaned after a traffic accident in Florida – his hometown. He simply told the beneficiaries:
“Grow up. Because I couldn’t save your parents, but I can save your dreams.”
In a noisy world, Riley Greene chose to stand behind the cries, helping others with a quiet but powerful presence. No home runs, no spotlight – but for many families in Texas, he has become a hero without a title.