Devon Still's Daughter Leah Watches Her Dad Play Live for First Time This Season, Smiles Brightly With Cincinnati Bengals Cheerleaders

4-year-old is battling neuroblastoma and the Bengals are presenting a $1.25 million check from sales of Still jerseys to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

By Natalie Finn Nov 07, 2014 3:17 AMTags
Leah Still, Bengals, NFLTwitter, AP Photo/Stephan Savoia

Leah Still is having a night to remember.

Devon Still's 4-year-old daughter, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 neuroblastoma in July, got to attend the Bengals game against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday at Paul Brown Stadium—her first time seeing her dad play live this season.

And the whole crew on site, from the players to the cheerleaders to the guys in the booth calling the game for the NFL Network, made Leah their queen for a day.

"Tonight, we are all #StillStrong. #TNF#CLEvsCIN," the network tweeted a pic of the broadcasters all holding No. 75 Still jerseys in honor of the defensive tackle's little girl.

Twitter, AP Photo/Stephan Savoia

And while presumably most people in the stadium wanted to see a Bengals win, "Leah Strong" was the real motto of the night. "Still Strong" T-shirts are available for sale via a campaign started by some of Still's friends on Pldgit.com, with a portion of the proceeds going to children's hospitals in Philadelphia and Cincinnati. Meanwhile, in September and October, the Bengals sold 15,000 Still jerseys and are donating the proceeds—a $1.25 million check being presented between the first and second quarters—to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

Twitter, AP Photo/Stephan Savoia

"We all see what Devon goes through on a day-in and day-out basis," rookie running back Jeremy Hill told ESPN. "We're always here to comfort him and to be there for him any way we can help him out. It's definitely going to be big for us as a team, especially to go get that win for him as long as she's here. Like he says, it's 'Leah Strong' all the time."

Leah, wearing her own little dress with a glittering No. 75 and toting orange and black pompoms, was the center of attention during a visit with the Bengals cheerleaders before the game, the leggy ladies gathering around her for a group shot (and some selfies, of course).

"It doesn't get any better than this..she fits right in," Still tweeted out the pic, one of many images he shared to chronicle what was a huge game for him and his daughter.

Twitter, AP Photo/Stephan Savoia

Even in the off-season, the city's other major sports franchise, the Cincinnati Reds tweeted their support tonight, too, along with a pic of a cartoon baseball with "Leah Strong" stamped across it.

Now, we're looking at the Browns' official Twitter account and, um...they may want to get in on the game's real highlight.

"It's going to be added motivation just knowing that my daughter is watching me," Still told ESPN before game time. "I want her to be able to hear how the crowd cheers loud whenever I make a tackle, so I'm going to go out there and do whatever I can do to put a smile on her face." 

And the day had already started off in a perfectly lovely fashion for Leah, who underwent successful surgery in September to remove all of the cancerous tumor as well as some surrounding lymph nodes and one of her adrenal glands.

"A little tea party to relax before the game," Still, 25, captioned a pic of him and his daughter enjoying tea for two from a pink plastic tea set, picnic-style in the living room.

May tonight only be one of a long lifetime of memories for little Leah.

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