De Pere's Brandon Krueger surprised with trip to Brewers spring training in Arizona

DE PERE - Brandon Krueger of De Pere is headed to Arizona to throw out the first pitch at a Brewers Spring Training game Feb. 25.

The 15-year-old Krueger is one of three Aurora Health Care patients who got a surprise Wednesday at American Family Field where they were told they were going to the Milwaukee Brewers spring training in Phoenix, Arizona, from Feb. 22 to 25. With his family, Krueger will have the chance to meet the players, join warmups, and tour the locker room.

Krueger will join 11-year-old Evan Rennicke of Ixonia and 13-year-old Malakai Kaesermann of Oconomowoc on the trip.

Aurora Health Care is the official health care partner of the Brewers. The team and Aurora are sponsoring the group's all-expenses-paid trip. All three boys play baseball and are big fans of the Brewers.

Krueger was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease when he was 12 after not growing for nearly two years. He had to learn to manage the symptoms of Crohn's and follow a new liquid diet that made sure he was getting enough nutrients.

Now he's back at school and on biologic infusions and is ready to be a regular 15-year-old: going to school, going on outdoor adventures, playing baseball and getting his driver's license. He's an outfielder on a local travel baseball team.

He's "small and mighty" on the field, his family said.

Benita Mathew is a health reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. Contact her at bmathew@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: De Pere 15-year-old surprised with trip to Brewers spring training