Team Saint Jude, let's bring it in. Got a couple things I gotta say here now. Listen, I
know you've seen me run my 40 yard dash in a suit and tie for a couple decades now. Spoiler
alert, I haven't broken any land speed records yet, but I always have a bigger goal in mind.
I'm running for the kids at Saint Jude every single year because they're. Coping with cancer
every single day, they are strong, they are courageous, but they just simply cannot do it
alone. That's why we're one team together. Now's our chance to make a real difference, and
all it takes is just a single donation from you to Saint Jude. So let's put our game faces
on and support the team. Absolutely love this. Since 2015, Rich Eisen has partnered with the
wonderful people at Saint Jude for a 40 yard dash fundraising event. We call it Run Rich Run.
It aims to help find cures for childhood cancers and other life threatening diseases. We
have one of the families who participated joining us here on Good Morning Football. It's
time to say hello. Reed, his mom and dad, Whitney and Russell, guy, it is, it's awesome.
I mean to see you. This is terrific. Reed. Yeah, let's roll. Reed, it's awesome, it's
awesome to have you with us here. You and actually Reed, you and your dad actually were
able to participate in the event. I, I, I just gotta know the highlight for you, what, what
stands out the most, Reed? Mm. All the kids getting to run the 40 yard dash.
How fast were you? That's awesome. 07 seconds. Oh, not bad. Kind of blazing. Let's go.
Let's go faster than me. Yeah, I don't know. You're gonna have to teach me how to run a
little bit faster, Whitney. Uh, can you tell us more about how your family came to be
involved with Saint Jude and how things are going for Reed? Yeah, so, um, you know, first
of all, you get the most devastating news of your life, and then we realized that, you know,
God had put some places, um, just some people in our lives and some pieces of the puzzle
together that led us to Saint Jude. And after going through something devastating, you
realize that Saint Jude is a place just filled with hope where everyone there is on mission to
make these kids' lives the best that they can possibly be. And so it has been an incredible
experience for us. Reed has finished treatment , and we do go back for checkups and things, but
we are home now and just enjoying being together as a family at home. We, it is so
incredible to see you guys at home, but Reed, I wanna circle back to you. What do you
remember most about those who helped you care, who helped care for you when you were there at
Saint Jude's? I see you still rocking that shirt. Mm, how kind they were. How
kind. Yeah, tell us about that. They really did everything they could and they made you
feel as comfortable as they could. Is that how it felt? Yes, definitely. They just, yeah, and
it felt so hard, they just helped me get through it. Well, that's really well said and
you're a very, very cool kid. Russell, we love that you were able to be there with Reed and
attend the Run Rich Run event together. He told us his perspective. Give us a parent's
perspective, a father's perspective. What did this event mean to you, especially as you
watched Reed out there running? It was, it was an incredible event. It was, uh, Reed got to
spend time with Rich, uh, beforehand, giving him a tour of the hospital, and, uh, so that
was really special. And, um, and then when the actual run happened, uh, Reed had, uh, surgery
last June, June of 2025 is when he was diagnosed and had surgery. And so that was
actually the first time that he had run since, uh, prior to surgery. And, uh, Reed is a big
athlete, loves football and baseball and. Um, and so it was really incredible to, to see him,
uh, do that and to, you know, just like I told him that, you know, he, he was inspiring to a
lot of people and as rich has been to so many people, and we were just really thankful to be
a part of it. Um, Reed has been fortunate to. Get to do some neat things, uh,
since, uh, undergoing treatment and being at Saint Jude. Saint Jude offers some incredible,
uh, opportunities for the kids to just feel normal when they're there. The, you know,
there's so many people that support Saint Jude , uh, that, that come in and, um, get to meet
the kids and so, but it was a highlight for Reed to get to meet Rich because he's such a
big football kid that, uh, that, that was really neat. Yeah, maybe one day I'll get to
meet Rich Eisen. Uh, he, he's done great work for Saint Jude over the years, um, and the NFL
community has chipped in as well. Some guys have didn't Belichick run a checkup to the, uh,
to the broadcast booth during the combine one year. It, it is incredible. Uh, Reed, we hear
you play all the sports, all of them, uh, but we need to know who do you root for during
football season, Who's your favorite player, and, uh, you know what, mock your team. Who's,
who should the team draft or what position should that team draft? Mm. Uh, my favorite
team is the Buccaneers. My favorite player is Baker Mayfield. And
I feel like the Bucks should get some wide receivers so Baker can throw to him, yeah. Yeah,
after raising Mike Evans, that, that is, that, that's a mock draft right there. That was much
better than Jason Lythe, our actual GM. I, I, I mean it right now. You're coming in for his
job, ready to go for it. We did spend some time talking about Mike Evans a little bit
earlier, by the way, the, uh, the run rich run event, it's gonna air Saturday, uh, of the NFL.
Draft, so we have to wait for that, but Reed, I would love to get your take because I know
you got to meet Rich, you got to watch his 40, you got to run your 40 as well. How would you
describe how Rich was, was running? I see him over my shoulder, which is kind of creepy for
me, but would, would love to just sort of have you describe what it's like to watch Rich Eisen
run the 40. It, it was great. It just made me think of all the money he was raising from
Saint Jude and how slow he was. So you, you would be, you'd beat him
in that race then, right, Reed? You're gonna beat him to the finish line? Yeah, yeah, we're
gonna get one of those, uh, trackers put you guys next to each other. Whitney, I do wanna
circle back to you. We, we have all heard about the wonderful work that they do at Saint
Jude, but for you experiencing this and with your family, what can you tell us that most
people don't know about the care that you're getting? I know you use the word hope already.
What more can you tell us? Sure. Well, not only are we getting what we felt like was the
best possible treatment for Reed, but they do really fun things. Like he got to read to a dog.
They have all of these adorable golden retrievers that come in and just with the kids.
Um, Reed got to read books to them some. Um, they have this whole 2nd floor at the hospital,
which Reed loved, a place where the kids can do Legos and just feel like kids. It's
completely, you know, no medical staff can go onto the 2nd floor. And so when you're taking a
break between things, um, it's just a place for kids to be kids. But from our occupational
therapists and our physical therapists, um, to all of the nurses there, everyone. Was loving
on Reed and just making him feel like, um, you know, a, a kid and just
giving us all hope as a family and just giving us a piece. Yeah, it's awesome to kind of hear
your guys' story and appreciate you guys sharing some of your experiences, not only at
the Saint Jude's but also the Run Rich Run event. Really do appreciate it guys. Best of
luck and best wishes. Thank you guys. Great job, Reed. You're the man, Reed. Rooting for
the Bucks this season. Oh, there's the whole fam, uh.