2015 ESPYS -- Devon Still Delivers Emotional Speech About Daughter Leah, Accepts The Jimmy V Award For Perseverance

 

Devon Still accepted the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance last night during The 2015 ESPYS. Watching his heartfelt speech about daughter Leah inside...

Last night at the 2015 ESPYs, Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still accepted the the "Jimmy V. Perseverance Award" on behalf of his 5-year-old daughter, Leah. The award was presented by "Best Championship Performance" recipient LeBron James.

In an ESPN.com article posted today, ESPYs co-executive producer Maura Mandt said Devon and Leah were selected as Jimmy V Perseverance Award recipients because they serve as inspiration for other families facing similar battles.

"This award is a testament to the inspiration Devon and Leah are to all the families who are suffering from similar circumstances. It is our hope that with this award we can send them more strength as they face this latest challenge."

For several months, we've been standing strong for Leah Still, who’s currently battling neuroblastoma, a rare pediatric cancer. She was diagnosed with the disease in June 2014 and made headlines alongside her dad when he was cut then re-signed to the Bengals' practice squad to help pay for her cancer treatments.

During his speech, Devon told the ESPY audience, "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."

After he thanked Bengals executives, kids who are fighting cancer, his fiancée and his parents, Devon ended with a special thanks for Leah.

"I know you wish you could be here, but I know you're watching. I just want to thank you. 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."

Unfortunately, Leah was unable to attend the ceremony, as she continues to recover at home from chemotherapy treatments. But, she did made an appearance on-screen with this message:  “Sorry I couldn’t be there everybody, but thank you for supporting me while I beat out cancer. Hey LeBron, hey daddy."

Watch it here:

 

 

Photos via Getty

source: theybf