Helen and Steve Brusky walked into American Family Field expecting just another visit, but instead found themselves at the center of a surprise baby shower thrown by Aurora Health Care and the Milwaukee Brewers. The Milwaukee couple, who lost their first pregnancy, are now expecting a rainbow baby girl in October, and the ballpark celebration was designed to mark that milestone with the whole community watching.
Aurora Health Care selected the Bruskys for the celebration, hosting the event alongside the Brewers, according to FOX6 News Milwaukee. Aurora has been the Brewers’ official health care partner since a multi-year sponsorship agreement began in January 2018, an arrangement that covers staffing the stadium’s first-aid rooms, expanding accessibility services and backing fan wellness initiatives, according to SportsPro.
A Rainbow Baby After Loss
Helen and Steve Brusky experienced a loss during their first pregnancy, and the baby girl they now expect this October is considered a rainbow baby, a term used for a child born after a miscarriage, stillbirth or infant loss. The station’s report notes that around 10% to 15% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage, but roughly 85% of women who experience such a loss go on to carry a subsequent rainbow baby to term, per the American Pregnancy Association.
Dr. Marie Forgie, the obstetrician-gynecologist who helped guide the Bruskys through the pregnancy, said Helen Brusky has shown extraordinary strength throughout it. Helen Brusky said she feels love from friends and family for her new baby girl, and added that she and Steve are excited to bring home a healthy baby girl. Dr. Forgie has practiced at Aurora Sinai Medical Center in Milwaukee since 2014, where she completed her chief residency and now serves on the faculty for the hospital system’s OB-GYN residency program, according to Advocate Health.
A Brewers Shortstop Shares The Moment
Joining the celebration as special guests were Brewers shortstop Joey Ortiz and his wife, Iliana, who are expecting their first child, a baby girl due in December. Ortiz said he and Iliana were happy to participate in the baby shower, and he announced during the event that the couple is expecting. Ortiz joined Milwaukee in February 2024 in a trade from the Baltimore Orioles that also brought pitcher DL Hall and a draft pick to the Brewers in exchange for 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes, per MLB.com.
Since then, Ortiz has grown into a central piece of Milwaukee’s infield. Following an offseason infield trade in February, Ortiz emerged as a key long-term core infielder expected to handle increased responsibility for the Brewers, as Hoodline reported in its coverage of the infield shakeup that reshaped the roster.
Part Of A Larger Pattern Of Ballpark Surprises
The Brusky shower is not the first time Aurora and the Brewers have teamed up for a surprise patient moment at the ballpark. In January, the two organizations awarded three pediatric patients and their families an all-expenses-paid VIP trip to Brewers spring training in Phoenix, according to footage shared on YouTube. Aurora also maintains two private nursing suites at American Family Field year-round, including a Mamava pod on the Terrace Level and a dedicated nursing area inside the Field Level First Aid station, according to Aurora Health Care.
The event also arrives ahead of National Rainbow Baby Day, observed annually on August 22 to honor babies born after pregnancy loss or infant death and to raise awareness for grieving parents. The date has served as an annual touchstone for families like the Bruskys since the term was coined in 2008 to represent hope and healing.
Aurora’s community investments extend well beyond the ballpark. The health system reported spending $1.93 billion on community benefit programs across Wisconsin in 2025, averaging more than $5 million per day on health access, clinical care and local support services, according to Urban Milwaukee. Aurora’s parent system, Advocate Health, formed by combining Aurora Health Care, Advocate Health Care and Atrium Health, is the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States and provided $6.27 billion in total community benefits nationwide last year.
For the Bruskys, though, the day was less about statistics and more about celebration. Surrounded by ballpark staff, hospital caregivers and a Brewers star expecting his own first child, the couple got to mark the arrival of their rainbow baby with a shower they never saw coming.
