In Memory of Esperanza
Esperanza "Essie" Spilborghs was born in Guatemala, one of seven children. She came to the United States on an education visa to study English in Santa Barbara, California — where she met René Spilborghs, who had come from Belgium to the same school. She stayed, married René, and together they built a family.
Essie was an athlete. She ran marathons. She loved baseball. She signed her son Ryan up for his first baseball team because of Fernando Valenzuela — the Mexican-born pitcher who captivated Los Angeles and showed every Latino family that the big leagues were possible.
She spent years working with special needs youth. And as Ryan and his sister Natalie played more sports, the Spilborghs family made a habit of giving back to the fields they played on — picking up trash, pulling weeds, rebuilding facilities. It was just what you did. You took care of the places that took care of your kids.
Natalie, Spilly, and Essie at the ballpark
Essie passed away on February 27, 2009. Ryan went on to play in the Major Leagues for the Colorado Rockies — but he never forgot where it started. A field. A mom who signed him up. A community that showed up.
The Esperanza Fields Foundation carries forward Essie's belief that sports can bridge every divide. We are partnering with municipalities to rebuild community rec facilities, one field at a time.