How 10-year-old Ramie Darling discovered help amid most cancers battle from Mac Jones, Boston sports activities

Patriots

“Ramie has mentioned just a few instances that Florida gave him most cancers, however Boston has cured his most cancers. We’re Boston followers for all times.”

FOXBOROUGH — Ramie Darling and his household hail from Vero Seaside, Florida.

However you wouldn’t be capable to discern it upon glancing at Ramie’s wardrobe on Friday evening.

Draped in a blue hoodie and a Mac Jones jersey, Ramie’s love for the Patriots stands as resolute because the smile seemingly completely etched throughout his face.

For Ramie’s father, Ramie Sr., his 10-year-old son’s unwavering positivity – and love for Boston sports activities — comes as little shock, even amid the trials that he has gone by means of.

“Ramie has mentioned just a few instances that Florida gave him most cancers, however Boston has cured his most cancers. So we’re Boston followers for all times,” Ramie Sr., mentioned.

Since being identified with Hepatoblastoma — a uncommon liver most cancers that generally impacts youngsters — again in December 2022, Darling and his household have discovered a brand new help base 1,300 miles from house up in Boston.

Via the ups and downs, Darling has discovered many in his nook, together with the medical doctors, nurses, and workers at each the Dana-Farber Most cancers Institute and The Jimmy Fund.

However now, Darling has one other supporter and pal in Mac Jones — one other Florida native who has discovered a basis of help in New England.

“We’ve met so many individuals and everyone’s been so optimistic and supportive,” Ramie Sr. mentioned. “And to have anyone like Mac, who’s such a giant deal, come out and help him is simply the subsequent stage.”

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After Ramie’s preliminary analysis final winter, the Darling household instantly sought out the assistance of Dr. Allison O’Neil, who helps lead the pediatric liver tumor heart on the Jimmy Fund Clinic.

Darling’s therapy has required each Ramie and his father to reside within the Boston space for the previous eight months. Over that span, Ramie has undergone months of chemotherapy, liver surgical procedure, and a full liver transplant.

Ramie now solely has two extra months of scheduled chemotherapy as a part of his energetic therapy.

“I don’t even know if I’ve phrases for a way good they’ve been,” Ramie Sr. mentioned of the workers at Dana-Farber and The Jimmy Fund. “All people in your complete facility that we’ve interacted with. Positively our physician throughout the nursing workers, even to the safety guards each morning high-fiving us after we get to the hospital.

“It truly is the entire group and never simply the few people who we see. All people that we speak to is simply optimistic and uplifting and simply makes us really feel welcome. The professionalism of what they really do, too. They saved his life and actually our entire household’s life as effectively.”

Throughout these lengthy, making an attempt days of therapy, each Ramie and his father spent many hours taking in TV. Naturally, sports activities highlights had been a routine spotlight in a metropolis like Boston.

“We’ve simply executed numerous couch-sitting right here,” Ramie mentioned of the reasoning behind his Boston sports activities fandom. “A metropolis like Boston is a giant sports activities metropolis, so would possibly as effectively like sports activities.”

“We’ve simply executed numerous couch-sitting right here,” Ramie mentioned of the reasoning behind his Boston sports activities fandom. “A metropolis like Boston is a giant sports activities metropolis, so would possibly as effectively like sports activities.”

A soccer fan, it didn’t take lengthy for Ramie to gravitate towards Mac Jones — nor did it take lengthy for the Patriots QB to listen to of Ramie’s story.

Final Saturday, Ramie obtained a shock FaceTime name from Jones, inviting him to attend the Patriots’ in-stadium apply on Friday night.

“I do know it’s gotta be arduous, however I believe the most important factor for me is I need to have the ability to kind a relationship with you be pals with you,” Jones mentioned on the FaceTime name, including: “No matter you need to do, it’s your day — you’ll be capable to have the VIP entry.”

Throughout Friday’s training-camp apply, each Ramie and his father had front-row seats to the motion — taking within the group’s prolonged group scrimmage alongside the sideline.

Earlier than apply ramped up, the Darlings had been visited by Jones and a lot of gamers, together with linebackers Chris Board, Jahlani Tavai, and Calvin Munson.

And as quickly as the ultimate huddle broke on the turf at Gillette Stadium, Jones made his manner again to the Darlings to talk and signal autographs, and change items. Middle David Andrews additionally arrived to signal a soccer earlier than Darling had the possibility to expire onto the sector.

“It’s so particular,” Ramie Sr. mentioned. “It’s so good seeing a smile on his face contemplating every thing that we’ve been by means of and never realizing the place we’d be proper now. … It simply fills my coronary heart with pleasure seeing him so pleased.”

Darling’s now-autographed Jones jersey stands because the crown jewel of the haul that he obtained from the Patriots QB.

“I’ll in all probability grasp it up in my room,” Darling mentioned of his new gear.

However Ramie additionally had a present for Jones: A customized card that includes marlins and different callbacks to their shared house state, together with a message of encouragement inside.

“I made a card for him — simply saying ‘Good luck, hope you win the Tremendous Bowl and may’t wait to hang around with you once more,” Ramie mentioned.

Ramie will get his want subsequent week.

As a part of Jones’ FaceTime name, he additionally revealed that the Darlings are invited to Thursday’s preseason house sport towards the Houston Texans. Each Ramie and his father could have firm, as Arbella Insurance coverage can also be flying up the remainder of his household to attend the sport.

It’s simply the newest wave of excellent information for Ramie, the fourth-grader from Florida who hasn’t misplaced his enthusiasm — and smile — amid the challenges of the previous 12 months.

“His energy has actually been unbelievable by means of the entire therapy course of,” Ramie Sr. mentioned. “By no means complaining, all the time bodily down however simply going by means of it with a optimistic perspective and it’s been an inspiration for undoubtedly me and numerous the grownup individuals round.

“We now have issues in our life, however for him to undergo what he’s gone by means of with the perspective that he’s had has simply been unbelievable.”