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Tag: Devon Still

  • Leah Still: Dad Devon Still Brings ‘Beat Up Cancer’ Daughter Her ESPY Award

    Leah Still is the precious daughter of Cincinnati Bengals player Devon Still, who is known for her perseverance in the fight to “beat up cancer,” as she and her dad like to say. Devon Still accepted the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the ESPY Awards on Wednesday night on his and Leah Still’s behalf, and he brought the award home to Leah.

    The award is actually inscribed with both Devon and Leah Still’s names, but Devon insists it belongs solely to her daughter, for her determination in “beating up cancer.”

    He shared a picture of Leah Still holding the ESPY via Instagram.

    “This espy might have both of our names on it but this is Leah’s trophy! Like I said last night, what I do is easy, she has the hard job. Like a true fighter she showed true perseverance throughout her battle with cancer and I couldn’t be any prouder. #leahstrong,” he captioned the shot.

    A photo posted by Devon Still (@man_of_still75) on

    Leah Still was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma stage 4 cancer last year. Devon took a hiatus from football to stay by her side.

    “She’s fighting for her life. Sports is not more important than me being there while my daughter is fighting for her life,” he said at the time.

    Still gave an emotional speech at the ESPYs on Wednesday in honor of his little girl. His speech was as emotional and impactful as that of Caitlyn Jenner, who received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award.

    The ESPYs tugged at everyone’s heartstrings by awarding both Devon and Leah Still with the Jimmy V Perseverance Award earlier this week.

    One look at Leah Still holding that trophy, and all involved know they definitely made the right decision.

  • Leah Still, the 4-Year-Old Daughter of Cincinnati Bengals’ Devon Still, Brings Inspiration in Her Fight Against Cancer

    Leah Still, the four-year-old daughter of Cincinnati Bengals‘ Devon Still, who is battling cancer, brought a ray of hope to the Cincinnati-Cleveland game Thursday night, despite the defeat her daddy’s team suffered.

    Before the game, Devon shared about what it meant to have his daughter on hand for her first NFL game.

    “Having her finally have the chance to come out here and feeling good health-wise… is going to be a great feeling,” Still told Cincinnati’s 9 On Your Side Thursday afternoon before the game.

    “I’ve learned to keep my emotions intact as time has gone on — as everything has happened with my daughter. I know everything is going to be pretty emotional.”

    Fans on both sides of Ohio were united in cheering on the little girl with the big heart. As Devon warmed up, cameras caught the twosome exchanging sweet waves with each other.

    “It just brought a smile to my face,” Devon told the NFL Network following game.

    Little Leah has been undergoing treatment at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia since June, so her homecoming was extra sweet.

    “I always look forward to those feelings whether I’m traveling back to Philadelphia or she’s coming out here,” Still said Thursday. “Just to see her running to my arms is always a great feeling.”

    Leah wasn’t just there to watch her dad play football. The Bengals decided to sell Devon’s No. 75 jerseys for $100, with proceeds going to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for pediatric cancer research. They ended up selling 14,945 jerseys for a total of $1.3 million. Leah was there to accept the check on behalf of other children like her who are afflicted with pediatric cancer.

    “Today is going to be a bunch of good emotions just knowing that my daughter is there and that the check presentation is because of her,” Still said.

    Dressed in the uniform of her beloved Ben-Gals cheerleaders, which they had specially made for her complete with her dad’s No. 75 in glitter on the front, Leah stood next to another hometown hero, Lauren Hill, who is dying of brain cancer and played her first and last college basketball game on Sunday.

    Devon said seeing his daughter standing alongside Hill was probably the highlight of the evening.

    “I can tell by the she was smiling on the jumbotron that she had a lot of fun up there. I’m pretty sure she’s going to tell me all about her day meeting the cheerleaders and getting to be in the press box,” Devon said.

    Devon said he’s proud of his girl. Surely Cleveland joins all of Cincinnati in being proud of her, as well.

    “These past couple days made her day. You have no idea. I haven’t seen my daughter smile this much in a long time. I do appreciate everyone chipping in to help put a smile on her face,” he said. “She loves the camera. She thinks she’s a movie star.”

  • Lauren Hill, College Basketball Player Dying of Terminal Brain Cancer, Set to Play ‘One Last Game’

    Lauren Hill, a college basketball player diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, is set to play in “one last game”.

    Tickets sold out in 30 minutes for the game scheduled to be played at Xavier University’s Cintas Center on the afternoon of Sunday, Nov. 2.

    Diagnosed with pediatric cancer, Hill has an aggressive brain tumor that is quickly taking her life.

    When she signed on to play basketball with Mount Saint Joseph College in Cincinnati, Ohio, she didn’t know about the cancer.

    With doctor’s fearing she may not even live until December, her coaches petitioned the NCAA to move the first game of the season to an earlier date so that Hill could play. The NCAA granted the request and the game was moved to the larger Cintas Center to accommodate the larger than expected crowd.

    The afternoon, which is likely to be memorable for so many and on so many levels, is becoming more than just an average college basketball game.

    Brooke Desserich, founder of The Cure Starts Now, a charity that focuses on trying to find a cure for the most aggressive cancers in an effort to cure all cancer, is organizing congruent events on the afternoon of the game.

    “Not just the basketball game, but a few presentations that are going to happen during halftime. I’ve been sworn to secrecy about what’s going to happen, but everyone really wants to show their support, and I’m sure that it’s going to be an incredibly inspiring game,” Desserich said.

    Proceeds from the sold-out game will go to The Cure Starts Now.

    As Hill practices for the big game, the young player is finding support from so many.

    Cincinnati Bengal Devon Still, whose daughter, Leah, is also battling cancer, stopped by practice and surprised Hill on Tuesday morning.

    In Hill’s native Greendale, Indiana, commissioners and the mayor declared Nov. 2 as Lauren Hill Day.

    “It’s just a great opportunity to spread awareness, and I’m really happy to be making a difference. A much bigger difference than I thought I could have ever made. That’s why you have to never give up and keep trying and keep chasing your dreams,” Hill said after the proclamation was made on Tuesday evening.

    Despite all of the emotions that Hill must be experiencing, she is consumed by one.

    “Excitement to step out on that floor and be wearing that jersey and those shoes and that uniform and hearing the crowd and feeling the floor vibrate and the rumble in your chest when the roar comes. I’m just excited for it. Beyond excited,” she said.