An inspirational story popped up on our radar today from Ohio, where a young boy with a brain tumour has been fighting his team’s most bitter rival in a very different way
We all have our favourite sports teams, and equally, they all have their bitter rivals. Manchester United have their neighbours across the way Manchester City, Real Madrid have Barcelona, Dublin have Kerry…the list goes on.
For all of us, when our team beats their rivals it’s a feeling that can leave you on a high for days. For 12-year-old Grant Reed however, whose love for Ohio State runs pretty deep, beating ‘Michigan’ will mean a whole lot more.
He’s named his brain tumour ‘Michigan’, after the most bitter rival that Ohio State has, and for both Grant and his parents, Troy and Denise, the good news came earlier this week that he is in fact beating Michigan and that the disease is in regression.
Congrats to my dude Grant Reed who today rang the “Chemo Bell” after his final treatment! Well done @nationwidekids pic.twitter.com/QMVoBro3Qy
— Jerod Smalley (@JerodNBC4) July 5, 2013
His story hasn’t gone unnoticed by the team either. The head coach, amongst others, has visited him in hospital, and earlier today, one of OSU’s best players Bradley Roby, a man desitend for big things in the NFL, gave him a shout out on Twitter.
S/O to my man Grant Reed! Story is inspirational. Makes this game we play even more of a honor…
— Bradley Roby (@BradRoby_1) July 9, 2013
Grant’s parents have stated that while they’re out of the woods for now, there is always a danger that the disease could come back, so they’re not taking anything for granted. We presume that even Michigan fans wouldn’t mind taking a defeat on this one though.
Hat-tip to the lads at Bleacher Report for the story
