And finally we are at our top moment of 2014. While championships are always nice, there is nothing more beautiful than a parent’s bond with their child. The love and devotion displayed by Bengals defensive lineman Devon Still shows his daughter Leah is the greatest moment of 2014. Four-year-old Leah is battling neuroblastoma, a rare form of pediatric cancer.
After being distracted during training camp and unable to perform at a high enough level, the Bengals decided to let Still stay on the practice team so it did not interfere with his medical insurance that was covering the costs of Leah’s hospital bills. Being on the practice team allowed Still to be around his daughter more because he did not have to travel with the team.
The story immediately went viral and Still was promoted to the active roster around the same time. Still became the face of strength of courage and she battled such a tough disease. Her selfies on her father’s Instagram account made their way all over the media. The NFL decided to sell Still’s jersey with the proceeds going to pediatric cancer research. It immediately became the top selling jersey, raising a million dollars for the cause. Many people, including Saints coach Sean Payton, bought jerseys to show their support for such a meaningful cause.
Leah got a chance to finally watch her father in action as the Bengals hosted a Thursday Night Football game against the Browns. She also appeared alongside other cancer victims in a music video mashup called “Truly Brave” which benefitted pediatric cancer research. We are all praying for you Leah!
