*Wednesday night’s ESPY Awards featured many moments to remember, but none as heartfelt as Devon Still’s speech when he took the stage to accept the Jimmy V Perseverance Award.
In his emotional address, the Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle shined a light on his daughter Leah, who was unable to attend the annual event and accept the award with her father as she continues to recover at home from chemotherapy treatments related to neuroblastoma, a rare pediatric cancer she was diagnosed with in June 2014.
“We had two options. We could have lost faith and just let this battle with cancer get the best of us, or I could give my daughter’s battle with cancer a purpose, and use my platform to try to raise as much awareness as possible,” Still told the ESPY audience and viewers watching at home.
Among those Still thanked while accepting the Jimmy V award were executives with the Bengals as well as kids fighting cancer, his fiancée and his parents. The athlete and Leah captured hearts and headlines when Still re-signed with the Bengals to help pay for Leah’s cancer treatment after he was initially cut from the team, TheYBF.com noted.
Still and Leah’s situation was ultimately recognized by the ESPYs as the event’s co-executive producer Maura Mandt revealed why the pair deserved the Jimmy V award in an article that was posted last month on ESPN.com. Presenting the award to Still was Lebron James, who collected his own ESPY for Best Championship Performance.
“This award is a testament to the inspiration Devon and Leah are to all the families who are suffering from similar circumstances,” Mandt stated. “It is our hope that with this award we can send them more strength as they face this latest challenge.”
For Still, the honor was all about his daughter as he wrapped up his speech with a special thank you to Leah, who appeared onscreen at the ESPYs in a video to send her love.
“Sorry I couldn’t be there everybody, but thank you for supporting me while I beat out cancer. Hey LeBron, hey daddy,” she said.
“I know you wish you could be here, but I know you’re watching. I just want to thank you,” Still told Leah. “From the moment you [were] born, you molded me into the man I am today. I always used to dream about how I was going to be able to show you so much about life, but in the five years I’ve been with you, you’ve taught me more about life than I could ever do.”
To see Still’s speech at the ESPY’s, check out the video below:
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