(01-16-2018, 07:50 PM)KansasBengal Wrote: There are several posts over the last several weeks about the charitable offerings of fans to foundations like that of Andy and Jordan Dalton and now Blake Bortles.

A story about the Daltons.

I'm a lifer Bengals fan. Lived in Cincy when I discovered pro football around 1980 and have stayed a fan despite later moving to Cleveland with my family and then out of state since 1996.

My son Max was diagnosed with leukemia in November 2013 before his 3rd birthday. I talked about it on the old board--some of you may remember. He underwent 3 years of successful chemo treatments and is now just over a year since ringing the cancer bell (the completion of treatment). My wife bought us both AD jerseys during the 2013 season which you see in the avatar. Max became an instant fan of Andy before he even really grasped what football was. Andy and his family became aware of that, and my son received a signed football and some encouraging wishes from Andy, even though we live in Kansas. After that, Sundays became Andy Dalton day in our house, and Max wears #14 whether the Bengals are playing or not.

Fast forward to this season. I was back in Ohio with my family for Thanksgiving and decided it was time we all went to PBS for the Bengals-Browns game. A couple days before the game, I reached out to the Bengals PR team to see if there was any way for my son to meet his football hero. That didn't work out, but my wife contacted the Dalton Foundation and got an immediate response. Within about 3 hours, it was all set that Andy and Jordan would love to meet our little cancer-beating superhero.

After the game, we went to the dock where the players come out after the locker room and met JJ. Nice as could be. Talked to my son about Thanksgiving and Legos and Santa Claus while we waited for Andy. When he did emerge, we moved to a quiet area where he and Max could hang out for a few minutes. This time, it was Max who gave Andy something-- a picture he had drawn with Max throwing a pass to Who Dey, who threw a pass to Andy for a touchdown (maybe Lazor should try this?). Max was super nervous, but Andy made him feel really at ease. A really nice moment.

My point is, there are some really really good people out there and the Daltons are among them. Their Foundation supports families going through stuff that my family did. One of the unique things they do is offer parents of kids with illnesses a date night. The kids have proper care, including nurses available if needed, so that parents can have a night out. I can tell you that's important stuff when your life becomes redefined by your child's illness.

Andy's celebrity gives him a great platform to do some really nice things for people. If you can, I encourage you to support their foundation, and those like it.

(01-17-2018, 12:03 PM)Wyche Wrote: That's awesome, just one question.  I'm having a brain fart here (I think), who's JJ?

(01-17-2018, 12:03 PM)Wyche Wrote: That's awesome, just one question.  I'm having a brain fart here (I think), who's JJ?