Lauren Hill Surprises Devon Still With Jersey From Her First Game

Devon Still Surprised With Moving Gift From A Friend
CINCINNATI, OH - SEPTEMBER 14: The back of the jersey of Devon Still #75 of the Cincinnati Bengals is seen before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Paul Brown Stadium on September 14, 2014 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Bengals won the game 24-10. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH - SEPTEMBER 14: The back of the jersey of Devon Still #75 of the Cincinnati Bengals is seen before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Paul Brown Stadium on September 14, 2014 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Bengals won the game 24-10. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

On Thursday, Cincinnati Bengals player Devon Still was given a surprise gift by his friend Lauren Hill, a college freshman who plays basketball for Mount Saint Joseph University in Ohio.

Nineteen-year-old Hill, who has terminal brain cancer, presented the football star with the jersey from her first college basketball game, which she played Nov. 2. She scored four points. Hill isn't expected to live past December.

(Story continues below).

Hill and Still first connected in October. Still's 4-year-old daughter, Leah, is also battling brain cancer.

“She’s a fighter. As a parent, you always expect your child to look up to you. But honestly, since June 2, I’ve really been looking up to my daughter,” Still said in an interview with NBC's "Today" in October. “She’s way stronger than I ever have been. For her to be able to continue to smile through all this, and continue to still have that same personality, it’s amazing. And it’s definitely inspiring to me."

Still has been similarly inspired by Hill. He called her strength "beyond inspirational" when they met in October.

A huge amount of money has been raised in Hill's honor. According to Indystar, Hill has helped bring in $324,000 for cancer research, with funds going to the International DIPG Registry at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

Before You Go

1
Delon Wright, PG, Utah
William Mancebo via Getty Images
It's time to get to know Delon Wright. Wright, a Juco transfer a year ago, has emerged as a bonafide lottery prospect with his size (6-foot-5) and playmaking ability (over 5 assists as a junior). The younger brother of Portland Trailblazers sharpshooter Dorell Wright, Delon is a smooth creator who can really go. Plus, his 82 steals last season ranked second in program history to NBA veteran Andre Miller's 84. Most impressive? His turnovers are down, while his 3-point shooting has risen from a measly 22 percent to a solid 39 percent.
2
Frank Kaminsky, C, Wisconsin
Mike McGinnis via Getty Images
Frank the Tank, the 7-footer, returned to school to win a national title. Maybe the most versatile big man in the country, Kaminsky is the ultimate matchup nightmare because of his ability to shoot the three (42 percent) and his comfort level playing pick-and-roll. He has become a more consistent rebounder as a senior and remains a likely top-20 pick.
3
Treveon Graham, G/F, Virginia Commonwealth
Tommy Gilligan via Getty Images
Graham isn't a high-flyer or the gaudiest of scorers, but he is the heartbeat for Shaka Smart's VCU Rams. A two-way threat who averaged 16 and 7 as a junior, Graham might average 20 as a senior en route to a potentially deep VCU run come March.
4
Jerian Grant, G/F, Notre Dame
Michael Hickey via Getty Images
If not for a suspension last season, Grant would be a marquee name entering 2014. In 12 games as a junior for the Irish, the 6-foot-5-inch Maryland native averaged over 19 points and 6 assists while shooting 41 percent from deep. Grant is just a really productive player who rebounds exceptionally well for his size and loves to guard the opposition's best player.
5
Wesley Saunders, F, Harvard
Stephen Dunn via Getty Images
Saunders is one of the most versatile players around, a 6-foot-5 inside-out threat who can defend multiple positions as well. The Crimson hope to advance even further in the NCAA Tournament this season, and the reigning Ivy League Player of the Year can take them there.
6
Joseph Young, SG, Oregon
Mike McGinnis via Getty Images
Young is a big-time scorer with NBA ability. He can fill it up from deep (42 percent as a junior) but remains efficient from all over the floor as well.
7
Chasson Randle, SG, Stanford
Andy Lyons via Getty Images
Remember when Stanford stunned Kansas in the NCAA Tournament? Randle was a vital reason why, and he returns for what should be a very productive senior season. Randle can score all over the floor and is a highly physical and effective on-ball defender. Not only is he a premier player in the Pac-12, but Randle is one of the better all-around guards in college basketball.
8
Tyler Haws, SG, BYU
Mike McGinnis via Getty Images
So he's not Jimmer Fredette -- but who is? Haws, a 6-foot-5 pure scorer who excels in the mid-range game, averages a stellar 24 points per game, while shooting a career-high 43 percent from deep. Plus, he is in line to break the Jimmer's all-time lead in scoring.
9
Alan Williams, C, UCSB
Ethan Miller via Getty Images
An undersized mid-major center at 6-foot-8, Williams is a highly productive player averaging 18 and 13 in the Big West. Those are impressive numbers anywhere, made even better by the fact that Williams is one of the better shot-blockers (2.4 per game last year) that nobody talks about. You would like to see him shoot a higher percentage, but few bigs in college hoops are as good. Plus, he converts 79 percent from the line.
10
Kevin Pangos, PG, Gonzaga
William Mancebo via Getty Images
A true point guard and one of the nation's best pure shooters (41 percent career 3-point percentage), Pangos returns to the Zags finally healthy after playing through a series of foot woes last year. Averaging a career-best in assists (5.4), he has become a real playmaker and has the keys to Mark Few's offense. The diminutive Canadian is Gonzaga's best chance to earn its first ever trip to a Final Four.

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot