What should have been one of the happiest chapters of their lives quickly spiraled into a terrifying ordeal for Kody Funderburk and his wife Alicia.
The Minnesota Twins reliever and his wife were riding high after learning they were expecting their first baby in September — until doctors delivered a gut-punch diagnosis that changed everything. Shortly after discovering she was pregnant, Alicia was told she had Hodgkin lymphoma, a form of blood cancer.
The shocking news turned their dream pregnancy into a high-stakes battle, forcing Alicia to undergo ongoing chemotherapy treatments while carrying their unborn child.
“Fundy is back from the Paternity List, and we want to take a moment to share more of his and his wife’s story,” the Twins said in a statement, revealing the emotional rollercoaster the couple had been quietly enduring. Despite the frightening circumstances, doctors remain optimistic about her recovery.
Against all odds, the couple finally got their miracle moment.
On April 20, Alicia gave birth to a healthy baby girl, Murphy Jo — a bright light at the end of a dark and uncertain journey.
In the days following the birth, Alicia shared a glimpse into their emotional high, writing on Instagram that the couple has been “on cloud 9… enjoying so many newborn snuggles.” She also thanked supporters, adding that the prayers and encouragement “mean the world” to them.
But behind the joy is a story of resilience few could imagine.
In a candid post, Alicia admitted the journey was nothing like they had envisioned, but said the overwhelming support kept them going. “We have been constantly reminded of how blessed we are every step of the way,” she wrote, calling their baby already “so loved.”
For Funderburk, the ordeal became a test of focus and faith — one he approached the same way he handles pressure on the mound.
“We caught it early enough,” he told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “It was just more about, ‘OK, what do we need to do?’… ‘What’s next?’”
Now back in the bullpen after time on the paternity list, the lefty pitcher returns to baseball with far more than wins and losses on his mind — carrying a deeply personal victory that transcends the game.
What began as a nightmare has turned into a powerful story of survival, love, and a newborn who arrived right on time.
