‘Tom Brady … you’re the greatest,’ says mother of young cancer survivor

Submitted by nkit

Via The Tampa Bay Times

Cancer survivor Noah Reeb and his father smile after Bucs quarterback Tom Brady (12) handed him a hat during Sunday's game.

TAMPA — In a stadium with more than 65,000 fans, it would be hard for one person to stick out. Let alone, a school-aged boy with a Tom Brady jersey on his back and a Bucs cap that didn’t quite cover the scar that could be traced from the back of his head to the top of his neck.

But sitting with his father in the lower level of Raymond James Stadium behind the Buccaneers bench where the wide receivers usually congregate, Noah Reeb had a plan.

A colorful sign — TOM BRADY HELPED ME BEAT BRAIN CANCER — and the kind of perseverance only a true survivor understands. Not to mention, a kindly woman who lifted Noah up so his sign stood out among the sea of other fans and spectators.

At some point during Sunday’s game against the Bears, Bucs receiver Chris Godwin spotted Noah in the bleachers and told Brady to turn around and take a look.

He couldn’t have known it at the time, but Brady and Noah had a connection. Earlier this year, someone from Noah’s extended family had gotten word to Brady about a then-9-year-old flag football player from Utah who was a huge TB12 fan and was battling brain cancer.

Bucs quarterback Tom Brady (12) hands a hat to cancer survivor Noah Reeb and his father.
Bucs quarterback Tom Brady (12) hands a hat to cancer survivor Noah Reeb and his father. [ ALEX MENENDEZ | Associated Press ]

 

A player of Brady’s stature gets countless inquiries like this every week and there are only so many he can possibly answer, but this one seemed to touch him. Brady recorded a video that he sent to Noah’s mother, Jacque, on Instagram.

“Hey Noah, how are you doing? I just wanted to let you know I’m thinking about you,” Brady said in the video. “I know you’re one of my biggest fans in Utah, and I know you’ve got a great family that loves you, and support your mom and dad and your siblings.

“And I just want to let you know I’m thinking about you, I’m with you, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Hang tough. You’re going to be great, I know it. Get well soon and take care, bye bye.”

It had been a long haul for the Reeb family ever since Noah began experiencing severe headaches last December. Doctors initially thought the migraines were caused by hormones, according to a recent Deseret News story, but the Reebs wanted more tests run.

Finally, in February, a walnut-sized tumor was discovered in Noah’s brain.

What followed was two surgeries and months of chemotherapy and radiation. It was around this time that Brady’s video messaged showed up on Jacque’s Instagram account.

“Noah and I were in the car (still parked in our driveway) emotionally broken down, having a heart to heart about mental toughness through adversity,” she wrote under the Brady video. “Then, out of the blue, this (video). What?!! We both looked at each other and started sobbing more. Then laughing.

“And Tom Brady … you’re the greatest. You just relit a big fire of courage in this little boy’s cancer fight.”

By mid-May, according to a Go Fund Me page, the tumor had disappeared from the images taken of Noah’s brain. There were more radiation treatments to come, but there was also a sense of relief, joy and, thankfully, normalcy that started to creep back into their lives.

Included in that recovery were plans for Noah to attend his first very NFL game.

Once the Bucs had beaten the Bears 38-3, Brady jogged over to Noah’s section in the bleachers and put a new Bucs hat on the boy’s head. The hat is part of the NFL’s Crucial Catch initiative with the American Cancer Society that focuses on routine screenings to catch the disease in its early stages.

Brady then shook Noah’s hand and exchanged a few words before heading to the locker room. Behind him, Noah put his face in his hands and began to weep.

“That was really sweet. Obviously, a tough kid,” said Brady, whose own 8-year-old daughter Vivian attended his post-game news conference 30 minutes later. “It puts a lot in perspective of what we’re doing on the field. In the end, it doesn’t mean much compared to what so many people go through.

“We all try to make a difference in different way, and I think so many guys commit time to their foundations and to doing good things for the world … I always think, ‘Do the best you can do, under any circumstance.’ It was nice to see.”

Later, Noah’s father James would post a video diary of the day from the time they arrived at the stadium to their encounter with Brady.

“The significance of Tom Brady putting that hat on his scarred little head. Noah knows,” James Reeb wrote. “I know that sweet face and those big grateful tears. Gosh, I’m so overwhelmed and so grateful. God heard Noah’s prayers and somehow made this happen.

“We didn’t pull any strings, we didn’t have access to anything other than a pair of tickets so he could watch his hero play for the first time ever.”

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TN Patriot
TN Patriot

Brady gets beat up by a lot of people, but he is one of the good guys and certainly not typical for a National Felons League player.

Anonymous
Anonymous

He’s not bad, but he’s no Tim Tebow. That man is a saint!

– Abigail

Anonymous
Anonymous

Couldn’t agree more. Looks like another season when the Broncos be wishing they still had Tim.

Abigail Adams
Abigail Adams

Yep, the Broncos treated him badly. Aside from sports, he has a huge heart. Holds a prom every year for disabled teens. Does many, many other things to help others. He’s a good soul.

Anonymous
Anonymous

He was knocked because he wasn’t “NFL material”. Baloney-he had the athleticism, courage, and drive to take chances so he might succeed. Stay in the pocket? Not on your life. Running it out any way I can if none of my receivers is open. But, truth be told, a young buck can only do that for a couple of years before the rest of the league gets on to him. Just like what the Chiefs are seeing this year with their exciting QB. I would love to know what John Elway would say behind Tim’s back. Not that it would matter much to Tim.

For those who never saw the old AFL West in action 60 years ago, Tim would have fit in quite nicely. Entertaining as hell and a lot funner than watching a Bears/Lions game finish with a score of 6 to 3.

Glock-N-Load

Tim Tebow was a great story. I watched all his games even though I am not a Broncos fan. Pretty exciting.

MMinWA
MMinWA

That second half of the last season he played for Denver was fantastic. I so looked forward to him taking the Broncs from the start of the next season. Only the fact we got Manning was the balm that took away how pissed off I was they sent Tim packing.

Abigail Adams
Abigail Adams

I was pissed too. Peyton is a good guy too, but how could they send Timmy packing???

My uncle had season tickets to the Broncos, so I got the privilege of seeing him play at all the home games. Everything about him impressed me. His skill and his demeanor on the field and in life.

In his book, Shaken, he talks about how hard the blow hit him.

musket
musket

Looks like his coach isn’t NFL material either……just saying…..

m
m

Yeah, Tom Brady’s dating history and marriage totally shows he’s an upright, down-to-earth guy with impeccable morals {facepalm}

He’s not the worst guy, but he is no role model (anymore.)

Abigail Adams
Abigail Adams

Tim Tebow remained a virgin until he was married at 32. He could have had anyone he wanted, but he stayed strong with his conviction. God blessed him well though. He sent him a supermodel…who also chose to wait until marriage.

m
m

I didn’t know that, and would never demand perfection from anyone to be[come] a role model – as that is exactly what leads to totalitarism, the “demanding perfection [on earth.]”

But Brady clearly lost [part of] his moral compass at some point along the road (and I heard from a direct witness Favre wasn’t better.)

Abigail Adams
Abigail Adams

Yeah, I don’t demand perfection either. Just added that to highlight the strength of his character.

Brady married a woman while another woman was having his baby…not judging though. Just sayin’. Brady is a great athlete…no doubt.

Tebow was also homeschooled…in case there are any homeschool moms here who would be interested in reading his books…(hint, hint Svarga)

Quiet Mike

A hat? Give me a few seconds to rub down the goose bumps.

Bob P
Bob P

Brady’s not only one of the finest athletes of all time, he’s a class act. He’s even handsome. And he’s rich and famous. I’d have taken any one of those qualities, but the greedy bastard got them all and left none for me. Everyone see this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD1Q-3qdKEQ

very old white guy
very old white guy

I like that.

lamont cranston
lamont cranston

I remember seeing his application during college to work as a summer intern at some stockbrokerage. Well written, perfect grammar. Hope he has the sense to stay in FL. Zero state income tax is a bait.

Supposedly, all we got in Beaufort County was that Bieber bought a $$$$MM place at Palmetto Bluff (gated, yup) after he got married at The Meritage (Trevor Lawrence got hitched there too). Eddie Lampert has to park his $130MM 241′ yacht on the Ashley when he’s at his Kiawah Island place.

During SEWE, Charleston rooms are $1,000/night. Screw Spoleto. Other than the Gala, it’s so woke nobody goes to performances unless real classical music is performed.

Iska Waran
Iska Waran

I don’t understand a single word of your second two paragraphs (except Bieber), but I gave you a thumbs up. I am extremely ignorant and parochial, so you have to take that into account.

BUCKHED/BUY MORE AMMO/BOURBON TOO
BUCKHED/BUY MORE AMMO/BOURBON TOO

Lamont….Spaghetto was fun in the early 80’s . A lot of good music. A buddy and I used to play down in the market during the festival for tips…made some good money which we used for an alcohol binged fun night. Plus we’d hook up with some of the artsy ladies….they were fun too.

I used to hunt on the backside of Kiawah Island on bass creek….the island wasn’t 1/10 of what it is today. The few folks close to there used to complain to the game warden about us hunting. he explained to them that it was perfectly legal and too bad.

I used to sneak into Ted Turner’s place…Rice Hope Plantation and shoot his ducks. We hunted Hutton Plantation as well but we had permission there .

Svarga Loka
Svarga Loka

I never understood the faith-like worship toward athletes, but I did not grow up here. It seems like a nice gesture toward a little boy who has had it tough though.

overthecliff
overthecliff

It isa nice story. Brady conducts himself very well. It doesn’t make him a hero and I suspect Brady knows that as well. There are some good examples in the NFL.

lamont cranston
lamont cranston

Let’s talk icons. Brady appears to have changed somewhat in FL. Hey, no income tax, etc. He was always distant, IMO. Not now. Thinking “Coco0n”, perhaps he dips into the Don Cesar with the pods daily…

I met Gawd (aka Paul William Bryant) when I was 11. Again at age 21. Only did my MBA there. He scared the sh*t out of me both times. For you Bama guys, was with my late cousin TomCat (Cecil/Hootie’s Best Friend) both times.

BTW, the UofA does not run Tuscaloosa. First Presbyterian does.

Steve
Steve

All this needed was Paul Harvey
” and now, the rest if the story”.

Doctor de Vaca

Love him or hate him he is the epitome of a competitor and apparently a good guy as well. He is the GOAT.

nkit
nkit

Could not agree more Doc…what a great story..

m
m

I’ll stick with Montana. Especially off-field.

Joey Joe Joe Shabadoo
Joey Joe Joe Shabadoo

Suggest that the masses / admin here commit to AT LEAST one (or better yet several) example(s) of what is RIGHT with the world in the face of all the obvious bullshit and treachery that NEEDS to continuously and righteously be called out, opposed and vigorously slayed

… this being a prime example … God Bless TB12.

nkit
nkit

Agreed..Wow….Gotta fight back…

Glock-N-Load

I hate Tom Brady BUT at the same time, I love Tom Brady. Does that even make sense?

He is, in my mind, without a doubt, the G.O.A.T. Watch, he’ll win another SB.

starfcker
starfcker
starfcker

The bright blue Broward County school board just voted 8 to 3 to make masks optional in public school starting tomorrow

starfcker
starfcker
Ginger
Ginger

Homosexuals are the unhappiest people on the planet, never satisfied. So this might have been an educational trip for some.

Anonymous
Anonymous

The unhappiest people are fat, ugly, single women that live with cats.

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