Lil Bit Special Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft09/news/story?id=4068223 When Aaron Curry realized he'd be one of nine players invited to the NFL draft, he knew he'd put on an expensive suit and surround himself with his family on one of the biggest days of his life. The Wake Forest linebacker wanted to do something unique, too. Curry wound up at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., on Monday. In a prearranged meeting set up by his agent and hospital officials, Curry told wide-eyed, 12-year-old Bryson Merriweather he wanted a tour of the place. The boy had spent the better part of two years there undergoing five rounds of chemotherapy for leukemia, which is now in remission. "We were acting like he was just taking me on a regular tour around the hospital," Curry said. "Toward the end we ended up outside tossing each other a football and I just started talking about the draft. "He said he had seen it and I was telling him that I had been invited and if he would join me in this experience. So I said, 'So come to New York with me and get drafted into the NFL,'" he said. So joining Curry's mother, fiancee and siblings at his draft table on April 25 will be Bryson, the Madison, Ala., boy who is determined to play football again -- and get more people to be bone marrow donors. "I was showing him around and then he asked me," Bryson said of Curry's surprise offer. "And I've never been to New York before." While Curry has been fortunate not to have a friend or family member affected by cancer, he was drawn to Bryson's story when he was directed to the St. Jude hospital through his agent, Andy Ross. Bryson, who played tight end and defensive end for his youth team, first complained that his chest hurt after football practice in Oct. 2007. Later he said he couldn't catch his breath and it was thought he had asthma. But a month after that his family was hit with horrible news: Bryson had acute myeloid leukemia and would need to go immediately by ambulance four hours away to St. Jude, a top pediatric cancer treatment hospital. Bryson began a grueling schedule of chemotherapy while his family searched in vain for a matching donor if he required a bone marrow transplant. "It was disheartening to know that we didn't have a match," said his father, Lorace "Ace" Merriweather. As Bryson got stronger, he helped lead bone marrow drives and fundraisers for St. Jude hospital in his hometown. His parents also decided to have another child. Six months after Bryson went into remission, his mother, Becky, gave birth to Bryan in December. It was recently determined he's a genetic match with his older brother. "If the cancer does come back, we now have a donor match in our own family," Bryson's father said. "That's been another amazing journey that we've gone through." Now that journey will take Bryson and his dad to New York. Curry will meet them on Thursday and tour the city. They'll attend some events together on Friday, and Bryson will be there Saturday when Curry could be the No. 1 overall pick by Detroit. "After meeting Bryson, I just think it was the perfect route to go," Curry said. "Bryson has already done some things in the community and he's only 12." Statistics show that Bryson has a 30 to 40 percent chance of relapse and a cell mutation he has puts him in an even higher risk group. But the lanky Bryson is strong enough now to play sports again. He's running track this spring and hopes to resume football this fall. He'll also have stories to tell his friends after experiencing the draft firsthand with a potential future NFL star. "It's just been a blessing to go through this whole experience. It renewed our faith," Ace Merriweather said. "It also shows Bryson's courage and will to fight through this. He didn't ask for it, but he's taken on the challenge. I know he's going to have a long life ahead of him. "Maybe one day we'll be at the draft inviting somebody," he said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gun Of Bavaria Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Great article. Class move by Curry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 I'm a big Curry fan. I think he just earned respect from others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jet Moses Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 I'm thinking about donating bone marrow. I heard it's painful. Anybody know anybody who has done it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norway'sWaddlingMarmaloof Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Guess I'm just too much of a cynic, but part of me wonders if this isn't a PR stunt to inch him up in the draft? I mean, his agent got the whole thing started, and we know character has become a real issue with teams in terms of the draft and free agency. But I don't have any real reason to suspect this, so I guess I should give him the benefit of the doubt here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jet Moses Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Guess I'm just too much of a cynic, but part of me wonders if this isn't a PR stunt to inch him up in the draft? I mean, his agent got the whole thing started, and we know character has become a real issue with teams in terms of the draft and free agency. But I don't have any real reason to suspect this, so I guess I should give him the benefit of the doubt here. Dude, did you know they have cat butt doorbells? Seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lil Bit Special Posted April 14, 2009 Author Share Posted April 14, 2009 I'm thinking about donating bone marrow. I heard it's painful. Anybody know anybody who has done it? Joining the Marrow database is painless. Its just a mouth swab. Go here for more info: http://www.marrow.org/JOIN/Join_Now/join_now.html MYTH: Bone marrow donation is painful. FACT: General or regional anesthesia is always used for this procedure. Donors feel no needle injections and no pain during the marrow donation process. Afterwards, most donors feel some pain in the lower back for a few days or longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norway'sWaddlingMarmaloof Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Dude, did you know they have cat butt doorbells? Seriously. Ha, closing on a house in a week, gonna have to find one and install if for sure! The fiance is a fan of cat-butts as well, she might go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSJets Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 I'm pretty sure you don't actually have to donate anything unless you're a match. It's not quite the same as giving blood but I could be mistaken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gun Of Bavaria Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 FACT: Afterwards, most donors feel some pain in the lower back for a few days or longer. Hell, that's me on Thursday morning after my Wednesday night hockey league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lil Bit Special Posted April 14, 2009 Author Share Posted April 14, 2009 I'm pretty sure you don't actually have to donate anything unless you're a match. It's not quite the same as giving blood but I could be mistaken. You are correct. Just a mouth swab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jet Moses Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Joining the Marrow database is painless. Its just a mouth swab. Go here for more info: http://www.marrow.org/JOIN/Join_Now/join_now.html MYTH: Bone marrow donation is painful. FACT: General or regional anesthesia is always used for this procedure. Donors feel no needle injections and no pain during the marrow donation process. Afterwards, most donors feel some pain in the lower back for a few days or longer. Thanks for the info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lil Bit Special Posted April 14, 2009 Author Share Posted April 14, 2009 Thanks for the info! No problem. I joined the database last year at a healthcare expo in Boston. After listening to the people from the National Marrow Donor Program, I had to do it. I think everyone should do it. Plus they have in-person donation sites where you can go donate for no fee. http://www.marrow.org/JOIN/Join_in_Person/index.html Go to that page, type in your zip and mileage distance, and find a site near you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
war ensemble Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Hell, that's me on Thursday morning after my Wednesday night hockey league. More like after the Wednesday night JN mod meetings... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norway'sWaddlingMarmaloof Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 More like after the Wednesday night JN mod meetings... So they have sore corn-holes AND sore backs? Wow, that's brutal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSJets Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 I actually signed up several years ago, but I'm not sure how to go about checking. I'll take a look on that site when I get home from work later tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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