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Just when you think the best running back. . .and, let's face it, the best offensive player, period. . .in the National Football League couldn't get any more awesome, he goes and proves us all wrong.
(Thanks to AP28 for putting this in the FanShots and bringing it to my attention.)
In upstate New York, there lives a teenager by the name of Blake Cognata. Last February, Blake was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Ewing's Sarcoma. Because Ewings Sarcoma is a diseas that attacks the bones, it forced him to stop playing football and lacrosse at Fairport High School while undergoing treatment.
On Monday, Blake's friends were showing support on Twitter with various hashtags in messages to him. . .tags like #staystrongblake and #findyourstrong. One of his friends, knowing that Adrian Peterson was Blake's football hero, started a new hash tag: #APCallBlake. The #APCallBlake hashtag must have really caught on, because within ninety minutes, Blake was on the phone.
With Adrian Peterson.
"It was on his heart and he just felt he had to do it," Chris Brown, Peterson's assistant, said by phone from Texas. "If a conversation can bring a little bit of joy, it's the least Adrian can do."
...
"Blake answered his phone and he was so cute it was like, 'Helllloooo?'" said his mother, who was obviously only hearing what her son was saying and not the Peterson part of the conversation. "Then he said, 'Can I ask who's calling? For real? Oh, my gosh, I can't believe you called me.'"
Diane Calcagno said Blake and Peterson chatted for about five minutes. "He told Blake not to give up and asked how long he had been sick. Then he told Blake that he had his personal cell number and to call him anytime that he wanted to talk to someone. He's a very spiritual man and talked to Blake about his faith."
If your home or office appears to have gotten a little bit dusty, it's okay.
What a great gesture by Peterson to give Blake a call and give him some support during his battle with this awful disease.