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The Power of Positivity

Carlos Correa And His Wife Daniella Are Dedicated To Making A Difference In The Lives Of Houston Children

Article by Gabi De La Rosa

Photography by Lauren Holub Photography

Originally published in Pearland Lifestyle

Was it love at first sight or love at first pitch? While the couple differs on when exactly they fell in love, everyone else can agree that former Miss Texas Daniella Rodriguez Correa and Houston Astros' shortstop Carlos Correa have made a powerful couple since they began dating in 2016. 

At the end of her reign as Miss Texas, one of her last scheduled duties was to throw the first pitch at an Astros home game. According to the couple, the pitch wasn't the best, but it led them to a first date where they realized they had a lot in common. Fast forward to the Astros' 2017 World Series win, where we collectively gasped as Carlos proposed on the field during the post-game celebration, and in front of millions, she said yes. Nearly two years after getting married, the Correas are still going strong and using their collaborative platform to make a difference in their communities. 

When their relationship became serious, the couple knew they wanted to be of service to others. They spoke about different ideas and eventually settled on the Correa Family Foundation, focusing on childhood cancer. "We talked about the platform we have and knew that if we joined forces, we could make a huge difference," said Daniella. "We knew we had to do more than sit around and enjoy the life we have. We always had a passion in our hearts for kids with cancer, so we decided to go that route and make it our focus."

The foundation helps families by hosting memorable experiences for children dealing with cancer and by alleviating the financial burden of medical bills. One of their greatest efforts is "Hero of the Month." Each month President of the foundation Dr. Ricardo Flores, clinical director of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at Texas Children's Hospital in the Woodlands, helps the couple select a "hero" who visits Minute Maid Park for a full day of Astros fanfare. The child and their family attend batting practice, meet the players, and are treated to Diamond Suite tickets. 

The past year has been challenging for the foundation because many of its activities are on pause due to COVID-19. Hospitals do not allow visitors, and MLB rules prohibit fans or guests from batting practice and other events. "It has been hard dealing with COVID-19 because we have so many great ideas we are excited about doing," Daniella says. "Unfortunately, we have paused everything for right now, and we are slowly trying to see how COVID rules change. Even when things are a little more flexible, a lot of these children have weakened immune systems, so it is hard to bring them out and expose them to so many different things."

Although the foundation put in-person efforts on pause, they are still moving forward with their philanthropic endeavors. Late last year, the world-renowned jewelry company Fabergé approached the couple about a collaboration benefitting their foundation. Together they designed a pendant honoring the late Cameron Gooch, a child the couple became close to through the Correa Family Foundation. "We designed a pendant in his honor, and through the collaboration, we were able to raise a lot of money that will ultimately benefit other children dealing with cancer. There were only 17 pendants made globally, which is special because it was Cameron's honorary Astros baseball jersey number."

Although the past year has been a bit slower for the couple, they are looking forward to another collaboration with Fabergé later this year and getting back to in-person events. Aside from their foundation, they are also committed to helping their communities as different needs arise. Ever passionate about Puerto Rico, Carlos has stepped up through several natural disasters his island home has gone through recently, and Daniella recently launched her makeup line, Sweet D by Daniella Correa. "I've been thrilled with the outcome and so grateful at how receptive people have been with Sweet D. I am looking forward to launching more products later this summer."

Over the past few years, we've had front row seats as the Correa's relationship unfolded. As Houstonians, we can only hope their dedication to helping others and the business of baseball keep them firmly planted in Houston. 

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