New York – Before he became the captain of the Yankees, Aaron Judge was just a baby picked up from the hospital and placed in the arms of a middle-aged couple who worked in education. He didn’t have their genes, but he did have all the values they believed in.
And the person who instilled in him the most was his mother, Patty Judge.
“She chose me. And I chose to live so I wouldn’t disappoint her.”
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Aaron Judge was adopted when he was just a few days old. Growing up in Linden, California, the towering boy was always curious about why he was different from everyone else in the family. And then his mother told him the truth.
“She said, ‘You didn’t come from my womb, but I chose you. And I will always choose you – every day.’”
That quote stuck with Aaron, becoming the foundation for him to live by – working hard, being grateful, and never giving up.
When Judge walked onto the field at Yankee Stadium for the first time, his mother didn’t dress up or talk to the press. She sat quietly in the stands, holding a tiny camera to capture the son his friends had once teased as “adopted.”
She didn’t say much, but her presence was present for every major moment of his life—from his MLB debut, to breaking Roger Maris’ home run record, to being named team captain.
“I don’t know what I’d do without my mom,” Judge tearfully said in a 2022 interview.
Judge doesn’t usually thump his chest when he hits home plate. Instead, he just looks up at the stands—where his mother usually sits. It’s a small gesture, but anyone who’s paying attention will notice: He’s not celebrating a victory for himself. He’s celebrating the woman who gave him the opportunity to be there.
Not only is Judge an MVP, he is also an investor in youth education through the ALL RISE Foundation, inspiring kids to believe in themselves – regardless of their background.
“I was drafted when there were no guarantees. I want to help other kids have the same opportunity as me,” he shared.
The Yankees may be a great team. But behind every great player, there are always people who are quiet. For Aaron Judge – that’s his mother.
And with every swing, every run, every raise of the hand to the crowd – there is a wordless thank you to the mother who chose to love him with her life.