By Mark Eckel, Player Engagement Insider
Tanner Vallejo doesn’t need pink cleats, or pink ribbons, or a special month to recognize cancer awareness. He’s been aware of it for as long as he can remember.
Vallejo, the Buffalo Bills’ rookie linebacker out of Boise State, watched his younger brother Hunter battle brain cancer almost from the time he was born.
Hunter was diagnosed when he was just six months old, when Tanner was about six. The doctors told the Vallejo family there was about a two percent chance the baby would make it.
Hunter beat the odds, and Tanner has used his brother as inspiration in his fight to make it to the NFL.
“For me, I just carry him on my back,’’ Tanner said. “When I’m out there playing, it’s like he’s out there with me. He’s playing vicariously through me.’’
There are four Vallejo brothers, including Cody and Zach, who played collegiately at the University of Nevada-Reno, and are now firefighters in Northern California. Tanner in his rookie season with the Bills and Hunter, remarkably, is a senior in high school.
“Having a quarter of his brain removed has affected his physical abilities somewhat,’’ Tanner said of Hunter. “But if you ever met him you wouldn’t even realize what he’s been through, other than his scars. He’s a normal kid. There are some limitations because of the hardware that’s in his head. But he’s already won the ultimate battle of life.’’
Hunter, who went into remission when he was five years old, gets annual check-ups, MRI screenings and brain scans. But it’s all worth it, when you were given a two percent chance to make it.
“It was tough,’’ Tanner said. “I just remember being at home with one of my parents, or my parents wouldn’t even be home, I’d be with someone in the family, because they would be at the hospital with him. The real tough part was going to the hospital and seeing your little brother, and I’m a little kid at the time, too, and seeing him with all the tubes. And the radiation being shot at him and the chemo going through his little body. You’re really not ready for that as a kid.’’
Tanner was about 12 years old when word came that Hunter was in remission. He remembers the joy in the family and how all of a sudden Hunter had hair on his head.
“It was just a real exciting time,’’ Tanner said. “He’s helped me tremendously. Seeing him at a young age, being his older brother, and being there for him. And him watching all of his older brothers play football, of course he wanted to play football, too. He asked the doctors, could even just be the punter, but it was too risky. He can’t play contact sports.’’
It hasn’t stopped him from being a fan. Hunter and his parents went to almost every one of Tanner’s game at Boise State, making the eight-hour trip from their home outside of Sacramento. And they went to see him and the Bills knock off the Denver Broncos, earlier this season.
“He loves it,’’ Tanner said. “They had a great time in Denver.’’
Tanner has taken it upon himself to try to help others in the same situation as his brother was. He visits hospitals, spends time with the cancer patients, tries to ease their pain.
“I’ve been to hospitals and it’s tough seeing everyone go through it, just like my little brother,’’ he said. “It’s especially tough seeing the children. I just try to do my part to put a smile on a kid’s face. If you can do that and make their day at least a little better, you're making their lives a little better.
“For me cancer awareness is not just the month of October, it’s every month, every year. There are so many people out there battling for their lives every day. I just want to do whatever I can to help.’’