Noah Reeb of Highland, Utah, has been a fan of Tom Brady ever since he asked his dad who the greatest quarterback of all time was, and his father responded — Brady.
The boy has been obsessed with following Brady and learning as much about him as he can ever since — and that dedication paid off in a huge way when his life took a turn for the worse.
In 2020, the family received devastating news after Noah started experiencing severe headaches: The 9-year-old boy had brain cancer.
“It’s one of those tragic moments you read about where they turn the screen around and say, ‘You have cancer,'” mom Jacque Reeb told KSL-TV. “And in our case, they turned it around and showed us Noah’s tumor in the center of his head and said, ‘He has brain cancer, and we need to get him to the hospital today.'”
“It’s like every mom’s worse nightmare, and then instantly you want to protect him, and you don’t know what to do, so you just rely on faith from that point on. Faith and trust in God that whatever is going to happen is for a reason.”
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It was during a particularly dark day during his treatment that Noah’s biggest hero reached out and sent him a video message that lifted his spirits. Brady told Noah he was thinking about him and he could beat cancer. Noah kept that message in his mind from then on, replaying the video whenever he needed a boost.
His parents told him that when he beat cancer, they’d take Noah to see Brady play. After six months of treatments, the brain tumor was gone, and the trip was planned for Oct. 24, 2021.
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Many have since seen what transpired: Noah held up a sign that read “Tom Brady Helped Me Beat Brain Cancer,” and Brady noticed. It wasn’t long before Brady personally went over to shake the boy’s hand and placed a Bucs hat on his head.
The internet went wild over the adorable story — but it isn’t over yet.
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Noah, now 10, has been gifted an even cooler surprise that Brady helped orchestrate. On Jan. 15, with family gathered around, Noah sat on the couch to watch a special video message from Brady.
“I know it’s been a while,” Brady began. “I hope you’ve been enjoying the season so far. We’re grinding, getting ready to start the playoffs.
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“But earlier you held up that sign that I helped you beat brain cancer. Well, listen, your fight, you’ve inspired so many people, including myself, but millions of others also, and the NFL and the Bucs look forward to sending deserving fans to the Super Bowl each year and fans that have incredible stories like the one you’ve had.
“So as a thank you, I worked with both the Bucs and the NFL to get you and your family Super Bowl tickets this year in LA. We certainly hope to be there, but I know you’re going to be there. It’s going to be really cool for all of us. So, glad to see you’re doing well. Take care, man, and enjoy the tickets! Let’s go.”
All the stunned boy could manage was a thank-you and “Let’s go, Bucs!” as the reality of the situation washed over him.
“Tom Brady surprised 10-year-old brain cancer survivor Noah Reeb with Super Bowl tickets,” the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Facebook page shared. “This is what it’s all about.”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.