Sparkling from head to toe, amputee Cynthia Cheak becomes a key face of Valkyries' 'Ballhalla' crowd

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Sparkling and sequined in the Valkyries' violet colors from head to toe, down to her cane and prosthetic left leg, Cynthia Cheak reaches into a cross-body bag and pulls out a handful of Golden State playoff-themed bracelets she bought to share all around the arena.

Then the 68-year-old Cheak begins her nightly ritual of walking through Chase Center giving them away.

Always with a smile and signature message: “Hi, guys, want your swag? You’ve got to have swag. You’ve got to wear it. If you don’t wear it, we don’t win.”

The second-year WNBA franchise has given Cheak new life.

A former personal trainer in Berkeley, she was struggling both emotionally and physically after losing her left leg two years ago. An amputation became necessary to keep her alive. Cheak had undergone knee replacement surgery in 2020 and dealt with an infection a week later, then nine surgeries and numerous antibiotics didn't heal her. A fall early last year led to yet another operation — No. 11 in total — on the amputated leg.

She was lost.

“That's when the depression really got bad,” she said.

Four months later, the Valkyries began playing and would make history becoming the first expansion franchise to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season.

Cheak was hooked.

Now, Golden State is in the WNBA semifinals with a 1-0 lead over the defending champion Las Vegas Aces going into Wednesday's Game 2. Cheak is cheering away, a beloved regular face among the team’s diverse and vibrant “Ballhalla” home crowd — a play on Valhalla from Norse mythology.

Once she's inside Chase Center, Cheak can let go of her own challenges for a few hours and her mood instantly improves, knowing she is uplifting others each time she arrives to make new friends and greet old ones. She hugs children and poses for photos.

“It’s euphoric when I come here,” she said. “Just the response of helping people, it’s amazing.”

She's always surprised to be recognized at Starbucks, Costco, the doctor's office.

“It’s a hoot,” Cheak said.

Valkyries guard Kaitlyn Chen, who won an NCAA championship with Connecticut last year before being drafted by Golden State, signed Cheak's glittery prosthetic leg. There will be another one on order once Cheak can get all the players to provide their autographs to be laminated on the socket.

“I wasn’t sure I was going to walk again or be able to come to a game, and so the Valkyries ... were really encouraging for me,” she said. “I didn’t want to come in with crutches or anything, so they just helped me get over the stuff, the mass depression I had about having no leg."

“It was so encouraging, I’ve been here ever since,” she said. "Now I’m an advocate for disabled, and passing out swag.”

Cheak has handed out some 20,000 bracelets since she started in June, and more than 8,000 of the playoff version over the past four games. She ordered more after the Game 1 victory.

And, while Cheak has been inspired by the Valkyries, they have felt the same way seeing her courage to come back. Chen loves her, after meeting Cheak just briefly.

“She’s such joy, she’s just always smiling and so happy and she put a smile on my face,” Chen said. “It was pretty cool to be able to meet her. I feel like stories like hers are so incredible. It almost amazes me how much of an impact that we could have on other people’s lives, and that really warms my heart and makes me happy."

"The Bay Area has sort of taken us in and I feel like they’ve changed our lives as much as we’ve changed theirs.”

Once the Valkyries clinched a playoff berth on Aug. 17 by beating the Dallas Wings, Cheak had already ordered the playoff-themed bracelets, so they were ready to hand out the very next game two days later.

When coach Natalie Nakase heard about Cheak's story, she immediately dedicated that clinching game to her team's loyal fan.

“We're playing for Cynthia," Nakase said.

"The fact that she was able to transition into a better state, that's not easy for all of us who are human beings and we have really low days or states.”

In “Ballhalla,” it's about everyone feeling equal. Cheak sees the joy from her giving, sure, but knows her presence matters in bringing awareness to the amputee community.

“The Valkyries were so inspirational for me," said Cheak, who still trains dementia patients while also doing her own strength work overseen by a trainer three days a week.

She continues to make people smile every step of the way. Like fellow Valkyries fan Lauren Wu, who has gone through her own health ordeal.

“Not only is she the sparkle queen over here with her sparkle theme, sparkle everything, she is the absolute bracelet fairy,” said Wu, whose two daughters wear their wristbands from Cheak regularly. “It means something, it really does. It’s the spirit of the whole community here, how giving everyone is.”

For Cheak, there has been one motivation:

“This year, I want to spread the love.”

See AP’s full WNBA coverage here

Golden State Valkyries fan Cynthia Cheak walks on a prosthetic leg as she hands out wristbands to fans before an WNBA basketball game between the Valkyries and Seattle Storm in San Francisco, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Golden State Valkyries fan Cynthia Cheak hands out wristbands to fans before an WNBA basketball game between the Valkyries and Seattle Storm in San Francisco, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Golden State Valkyries fan Cynthia Cheak smiles as she hands out wristbands to fans before an WNBA basketball game between the Valkyries and Seattle Storm in San Francisco, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Golden State Valkyries fan Cynthia Cheak, right, hands out wristbands to fans before an WNBA basketball game between the Valkyries and Seattle Storm in San Francisco, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

ATLANTA (AP) — With one pivotal swing, Andy Pages sent the Los Angeles Dodgers into the National League Championship Series and transformed his postseason legacy.

Pages drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single in the seventh inning to give Los Angeles the lead, and the Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1 on Wednesday night to clinch their NL Division Series.

The Dodgers won back-to-back games in Atlanta to take the best-of-five matchup 3-1 and advance to the NLCS as they seek to become the first National League team to win three straight World Series.

Pages lined a full-count pitch from Robert Suarez up the middle to drive in Teoscar Hernández, who singled off starter Tyler Mahle, and pinch-runner Tommy Edman for a 3-1 lead. Didier Fuentes walked pinch-hitter Josue De Paula and Kyle Tucker to load the bases. Edman ran for De Paula.

It was an uplifting moment for Pages, who had two hits in the series-clinching win. A year ago, he went 4 for 51 (.078) in the postseason and lost his starting job in the outfield as the Dodgers beat Toronto in the World Series.

“I’ve been preparing myself all series for a moment like that, give myself an opportunity, get a good pitch to hit,” Pages said. “And luckily I was able to put a good swing on a pitch.”

Max Muncy's solo shot off Raisel Iglesias in the ninth padded the lead and gave the slugger 19 postseason homers with the Dodgers, extending his franchise record.

Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow, making his first start since Sept. 24, allowed only one hit but walked five batters in 4 2/3 innings. After he issued two walks in the fifth, left-hander Alex Vesia ended the inning on Matt Olson's groundout to second base.

Mahle, a native of Newport Beach, California, who grew up a Dodgers fan, allowed two runs — one earned — in 6 1/3 innings.

Michael Harris II hit Glasnow’s first pitch for a single before stealing second and eventually scoring from third on a wild pitch that bounced off catcher Will Smith’s chest protector.

The Dodgers pulled even in the second with the help of two Atlanta errors. Shohei Ohtani walked, stole second and advanced to third on catcher Sean Murphy’s errant throw into center field. Muncy’s pop fly into shallow left field was dropped by shortstop Mauricio Dubón for another error, allowing Ohtani to score.

The missed opportunity left the Braves with 18 walks in the series, and none scored. Atlanta hitters finished 1 for 23 with runners in scoring position.

“The Dodgers had something to do with that,” manager Walt Weiss said. "They’re going for their third straight world championship for a reason. Their arms just keep coming at you.

“But that’s the postseason. You never know what you’re going to get. It’s very unpredictable.”

Glasnow and four relievers combined to give up just three hits. Tanner Scott pitched a perfect eighth before Edwin Díaz got three quick outs for his second save of the series. It was his second in two nights and evidence he has reclaimed the closer role just in time for the Dodgers’ run at another championship.

“That’s the reason why we got him,” manager Dave Roberts said. “The last two nights, that’s the reason why we acquired a guy like Edwin Díaz. He’s one of the great closers in the game. For him to be pitching his best right now, that’s what you hope for, and I give him a lot of credit.”

Díaz said he had a long season while recovering from elbow surgery and a neck injury.

“I feel great,” he said. “I’m happy what I’m doing right now. I put in a lot of work this season. ... Those things paid off at the end of the day. Last week and a half of the season, I did my job.”

Hernández crashed into the left-field wall while attempting to catch Ozzie Albies' double off Vesia leading off the sixth. Hernández pointed to his head and neck when talking to an athletic trainer but remained in the game.

Edgardo Henriquez stranded Albies at second. Henriquez allowed one hit in 1 2/3 scoreless innings for the win.

Dodgers second baseman Miguel Rojas was held out after leaving Tuesday night’s 3-1 win during an at-bat in the eighth inning with lower back soreness. Roberts said Rojas would not be available off the bench.

Ronald Acuña Jr. started in right field for Atlanta one day after being moved to designated hitter in a late lineup change due to right knee soreness.

The Dodgers will face Milwaukee or San Diego in Game 1 of the NLCS on Sunday.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Los Angeles Dodgers players celebrate winning Game 4 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies hits a double during the sixth inning in Game 4 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernández hits a single during the seventh inning in Game 4 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernández (37) hits a single on a pitch by Atlanta Braves pitcher Tyler Mahle (54) during the seventh inning in Game 4 of baseball's National League Division Series, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages (44) celebrates after hitting a two run RBI-single during the seventh inning in Game 4 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages (44) hits a two run RBI-single off a pitch by Atlanta Braves pitcher Didier Fuentes, bottom left, during the seventh inning in Game 4 of baseball's National League Division Series, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)